Cobb's Bride
by jmbrowning1112
Summary: Four months have passed since Miranda and the Serenity family is about to get another member as Jayne Cobb has decided to enter the world of matrimony. Introducing new original character Tessa. Pairings: Jayne/OC; River/Mal
1. Chapter 1

_**Firefly**_** – Cobb's Bride**

***Disclaimer: I own nothing but my original character Tessa. **

**Persephone – Eavesdown Docks (four months after BDM)**

Mal watched Jayne pace back and forth in the cargo bay with growing concern. The merc had changed almost completely since Miranda. He was still crass and rude and all but his personal habits and his bunk were very different. He had stopped whoring altogether two months ago. He had redecorated his bunk too with a big queen-sized bed and some dark cherry wood furniture he'd made himself as well as removing all his pictures of naked women and his dirty magazines. He had locked his weapons away in a big safe in the corner of his room and had thrown his whoring shirt into Kaylee's rag bin. Then there was the small package he had gotten from his ma a few weeks ago and the nightly waves to 'someone' (no one knew who but River and she wasn't saying). And now he was pacing back and forth across the bay looking for all the world like he was waiting on something. He was also dressed in what Mal could only describe as black slacks and dress shoes and a crisp brand new cobalt blue button-down shirt, tucked in at that, and had even shaved and trimmed his goatee and combed his hair.

Suddenly Jayne stopped and walked down to meet a hover SUV with a trailer attached to the back hauling a couple of large crates behind it. It stopped and a man in a business suit got out of the driver's side while the prettiest girl Mal had ever seen got out of the passenger side and both of them walked over to Jayne. The man was holding some paperwork in his hands too.

The girl was only about five-four which put her a foot shorter than Jayne and she looked awful young but still – there was no doubt she was a woman. She had hourglass curves and long legs and a voluptuous bosom all encased in gorgeous creamy porcelain skin. Her hair was long to her hips and midnight black. It was curled but Mal didn't know if that was natural or done purposely. He couldn't see what color her eyes were but her features were beautiful enough to put Inara to shame. This girl was a natural beauty. No artifice or fancy silks were needed to tell a man that even though the pale lavender dress she had on was very becoming. It ended just above her knees and had capped sleeves and looked like it had a solid layer under the sheer top layer with a scooped peasant collar that revealed just a hint of cleavage. She had matching sandals on her feet.

Mal went downstairs to get a better look and hear better what was going on. The man was going over the paperwork with Jayne who seemed a bit impatient and kept throwing glances at the girl who was staring resolutely at her hands clasped in front of her.

"Now you sign here and she will sign there and it will all be done," the man concluded as Mal came up. Jayne signed his part and then watched while the girl signed hers. The man stamped it with something official looking and then handed one file of paperwork to Jayne and kept the other. "Congratulations on your newly wedded status, you two. Her crates are back here and her luggage is in the back."

"Just a minute," Jayne said taking a small box out of his pocket. He took out two matching rings that looked to Mal like wedding bands of white gold with some kind of engraving on them and then took the girl's left hand slipping the smaller of the two onto her finger. "These were my grandparents. Ma sent them to me and I had them resized to fit us."

"It's beautiful," the girl said in a soft, lilting New Irish accent and smiled up at Jayne who grinned back. She gestured to the other ring and he handed it to her letting her slip it onto his ring finger.

"There's one more thing but we ain't got to do it if you don't want to," Jayne said hesitantly.

"What's that?" she asked.

"Kiss the bride," he said quietly. She actually laughed a little then before taking his hands in hers.

"Well, I'm waiting," she said looking up at him. Jayne swallowed visibly and then stepped forward closing the distance between them and bending his head to kiss her lips gently but firmly. She kissed him back shyly and blushed as they broke the kiss remembering they had an audience.

"Well," Jayne cleared his throat. "Now it's official. I'll just go unload your stuff. That over there gawking is the captain I told you about, Mal Reynolds. Mal, this is my wife Tessa Cobb."

Mal was in shock. He didn't just hear that. He looked at Jayne unloading the crates and some luggage from the SUV before it left again and then back at Tessa who stood standing politely nearby. "Your what?" he asked when he finally regained his voice.

"I got married," Jayne explained when he finished and took out the paperwork the man had given him showing Mal the marriage certificate and stuff. "She's my wife. And she won't be any trouble at all."

"Universal Marriage Contractors?" Mal read from the form. "You ordered a wife."

"How else was I supposed to find a good girl to marry? We never stop anyplace longer than a few days and the only other single girl on the boat is River. There's no way in hell I'd go there. So I hired this agency to find me a bride and they introduced me to Tessa here," Jayne smiled down at the woman by his side who smiled back up at him. "We've been talking near every night the past two months. And she's finally here and we're married. My ma was thrilled. She can't wait to meet you, baby girl."

"You're forty?" Mal asked in surprise as he continued reading and then he tensed and glared at Jayne. "She's eighteen, Jayne. That's a twenty-two year difference. She's River's age."

"Age is just a number, Captain Reynolds," Tessa stated calmly. "I wasn't forced into anything and I'm quite happy with my choice of husband."

"You were a Cavanaugh from Carrick, New Ireland," Mal ignored her continuing reading. "Daughter of – wait, deceased? The Major and Maggie are dead?"

"You knew my da and ma?" Tessa frowned. Mal had paled considerably and was looking at her in shock.

"I served in your daddy's regiment during the war. What happened to them?" Mal asked.

"She don't like to talk about it," Jayne snapped.

"It was a Reaver attack two years ago," Tessa explained. "I was lucky enough to be near the caves when it happened and hid there like Da had told us too. No one else showed up though. They didn't make it."

"Oh honey, I am truly sorry to hear that but you ain't gotta go marrying Jayne," Mal told her. "You can have a place on the crew here. We ain't got a cook. I remember Maggie was a great cook."

"I already married Jayne and that isn't going to change. One thing has nothing to do with other," Tessa told him firmly. "Why is this any of your concern? Jayne explained the rules of your ship to me. I won't be a problem."

"It ain't his concern," Jayne said darkly and took the paperwork from Mal before putting his hand on the small of Tessa's back. "Come on, baby, I'll show you where our bunk is and then we'll get you settled in."

"Okay," she nodded and let him lead her away from the still stunned and concerned captain.

Mal was still standing there when Jayne came back down alone and promptly put Mal up against the wall pinning him by his shirt front and lifting him off the ground so they were at eye level.

"I'm not gonna repeat myself so listen good," Jayne growled. "That woman is 'my' wife and no one's concern but 'mine', dong ma? You try coming between her and I and we're gonna have a problem that you ain't gonna walk away from."

"I got it," Mal nodded and Jayne dropped him back on his feet then turned and picked up his wife's luggage and headed upstairs with it.

Zoe, River, Kaylee and Simon came wandering back to the boat then from their shopping excursion. Mal looked at them and sighed heavily.

"Y'all ain't gonna believe what happened," Mal told them. "Jayne has gotten himself a wife and she also happens to be the daughter of our late Major Jamie Cavanaugh, Zoe. Apparently there was a Reaver attack on Carrick and her family was killed and somehow she ended up as a bride for one of them agencies and her and Jayne chose each other as husband and wife. I gotta warn ya, though; she's eighteen and absolutely gorram beautiful and Jayne is already violently possessive of her so don't hint about her divorcing him. And River, you and me are gonna have words as to why I got blind-sided by this."

"I have no idea what my captain is talking about," River replied innocently.

"Them doe eyes aren't gonna work this time, Albatross," Mal shook his head. "You knew what was going on and didn't say word number one about it."

"The captain must not interfere in this," River told him frankly. "She will be a blessing to Jayne and this ship. I must go and welcome my new mei mei."

She left then and Mal watched her go wanting so badly to put her over his knee and tan her pretty hide for keeping secrets from him. When River caught that thought she paused on the stairs and turned to give him a pointed but amused look, "The Captain may do so only if it provides pleasurable response."

Mal turned beet red with shock and she turned and continued upstairs disappearing toward the dorms. She hadn't meant that the way it sounded surely.

"I'm sorry, sir but I think my hearing is gone," Zoe told him. "Did you say Jayne is married to the Major's little girl?"

"Yes," Mal nodded.

"And she chose him willingly?" Zoe asked.

"Seems that way," Mal nodded again.

"I can't imagine who would willingly marry Jayne," Simon shook his head and Kaylee pinched him. "Ow! What was that for?"

"Don't be mean," she scolded. "I'm sure she's very nice."

"Oh, she's gorgeous," Mal stated. Then he shouted as he headed up stairs, "Get us in the air, Tross! Everybody's all here!"


	2. Chapter 2

Hours later and after numerous trips back and forth from their bunk to the crates in the cargo bay, Jayne and Tessa had their bunk completely decorated and her things settled in with his. They were exhausted afterward, though.

"Baby, I think we did good," Jayne told his wife as he collapsed into the rocking chair in the bunk and settled her in his lap.

"Me too," she nodded resting her head on his chest and yawning.

"Tired?" he asked and she nodded again then looked up at him.

"Why didn't you think I'd want you to kiss me earlier?" Tessa asked.

"Well, you know I hadn't kissed anyone on the mouth in longer years than you've been alive, baby. I just – I know we've been talking regular for the past couple of months but we still have a lot to learn about each other and I don't wanna rush you into anything you ain't ready for," Jayne explained quietly.

"I'm worried that I'll disappoint you," she admitted looking away and playing with the buttons on his shirt.

"Baby, you couldn't disappoint me," Jayne told her. "I know you ain't been with a man before and sure ain't been married and living with one. We'll just learn each other and take things as they come naturally."

"I want to be your wife in every way, Jayne. It won't feel like we're really married till then," Tessa told him. He nodded slowly and rocked them in the chair for a few moments.

"Bit curious about your husband, huh?" he asked with a teasing tone and she blushed and nodded making him smile. "Well, I'm yours, baby girl. You do with me what you wish."

Tessa smiled and began tracing the logo on his t-shirt absently. After a moment, she asked, "Why does the captain have such a low opinion of you, Jayne?"

"I haven't given him reason not to," he answered. "Look, there's some things about me that only you are ever gonna know. How I am around you and when we're alone – well, that ain't the way I am around everyone else. You can't let people know you, the real you. It's dangerous letting people in that close. I'm gonna do it with you because you're my wife and that's part of being married and I'll do it with our little ones if we have any later on. But Mal and the others here and the folks we meet and do business with only know me as a hard, crude hun dan who only cares about himself and his weapons. It's gonna be dangerous letting folks know how much you mean to me and if I don't let on you're my wife around some people we run into it ain't cause I'm ashamed of you or anything. It's to protect you from them. I've made a lot of enemies over the years and done a lot that I shouldn't have, bad things baby, and any of them people I wronged wouldn't hesitate to hurt you to get back at me. Do you understand?"

"I think so," she nodded slowly then leaned back to study him. He was a handsome man, her husband, she thought. Tessa could tell he was concerned about what she thought of him, though. "Darlin, you did give me some warning about your past before we agreed to do this. I didn't back out then and I'm not going to now. I'm yours now and you're mine. I plan on it staying that way till I die. I also know you have more experience in the big bad verse than I do so I'm relying on you to guide me in situations like you just described. I trust you, Jayne."

He let himself relax at that and silently promised never to lose that trust. Jayne knew a good thing when he had it and Tessa was the most precious he'd ever gotten. It was odd feeling that way about someone he hadn't even sexed yet but it was different with her and he couldn't for the life of him explain how or why it was. His ma hadn't raised him to make light of marriage either. He would honor every vow he'd made to her and protect and care for her with his last breath.

Cupping her cheek in one hand he pulled her closer and kissed her lips gently at first then deepened it as she returned his kiss and wrapped her arms around his neck. He planned on breaking all the rules he'd made for himself about women for her. Her he would gladly kiss on the mouth and everywhere else for that matter. Rarely did he indulge in using his mouth on whores. You just never knew where they'd been. And as for protection well, he never went bareback with whores and took the male contraceptive pills that Simon got for him too so as to be extra careful. But with his wife he didn't have to worry about any of that. If they had a baby well, marriage and babies tended to go together and he was getting older now. If he wanted to have kids and get to enjoy raising them too then he might better start soon. At the same time, he didn't want to rush Tessa. She was only eighteen after all. It would be nice for it to be just the two of them for a while, too.

When Jayne finally broke their kiss after a few minutes and both were slightly out of breath and flushed he smiled at his young bride and asked, "So how do you like the kissing so far?"

"You're really good at that for someone who says they haven't in years," Tessa pointed out teasingly. He cleared his throat a little looking embarrassed but pleased by her praise. She laughed softly at his expression then brought her hands up to run her fingers through his hair. "Tell me, darlin, what happens after kissing?"

"You sure you're ready for that, baby?" Jayne asked concerned. He wanted to make love to her so bad it was painful but she needed to be sure because once he'd had her then there'd be no keeping his hands off her anymore.

"I told you, I want to be your wife in every way, Jayne," she reminded him. "I'm not a child."

"I know that, believe me but -," he faltered then sighed and asked instead, "Why don't you tell me what you already know about sex and I'll fill in the blanks? Then we'll see where to go from there."

Tessa frowned thoughtfully then told him, "I know it's supposed to hurt my first time, that there could be some blood too. But as to the details and what leads to that part I'm afraid I'm quite ignorant about it. My da and brothers were very protective of me. And Ma said she would have 'the talk' with me when I got married but then that didn't happen because she's not around anymore."

"Okay," he nodded and held her closer rubbing her back soothingly knowing how hard it was for her to talk about her family. "Well, there's kissing, a lot of it and not just on the mouth. I plan to kiss you all over and you're more than welcome to do the same to me. I'm gonna touch you all over too and I want you to touch me wherever and whenever you like. If I do something you don't like then you let me know and I'll stop. You gotta be real honest about that with me, honey. You're not built the same way I am. Men are real easy to please. But women, you need to get warmed up before you can find the same pleasure from it that men do. I'm gonna do right by you and make it good for you but you have to tell me if you don't like something. And if I do anything that you really do like then tell me that too. Mostly it's just instinct, baby, just like the kissing. You just feel your way through it and it'll all come naturally."

They were interrupted then by Mal knocking on the door. Jayne set Tessa on her feet and got up to answer it. The captain smirked evilly at him, "I didn't interrupt anything, did I?"

"No, we just finished decorating and getting her things settled in," he answered making Mal scowl in disappointment. "What'd you need?"

"River wants you to bring your wife up to socialize with everybody else. It appears my Albatross has taken a liking to her," Mal explained with an eye roll. "She keeps going on and on about Tessa being a blessing to you and Serenity. And I need your help stacking the new cargo we just picked up. I know you've been busy this morning but Kaylee and River's been complaining about the weight differ - something - it's not even on both sides of the ship so we're not getting our 'optimal response' or some such from the engines."

"We'll be there in a minute," Jayne told him trying to bite back a laugh. It was always amusing to hear Mal try and pass along River's messages. Mal nodded, closed the hatch then walked off toward the bridge.

Mal eyed his pilot warily as he took a seat in the other chair on the bridge. River knew he was there of course even if she hadn't glanced at him yet. She was plotting courses on the cortex and making notes in her ship log.

"The Captain wonders if I knew the meaning of my comment earlier in response to his thought on corporal punishment," River said after a moment finally looking over at him. She gave him an evil smirk at the flush growing up his neck despite the calmness in his blue eyes and stated, "I knew exactly what I meant and the proposal stands."

"Now, see here, Tross," Mal sputtered indignantly pointing a finger at her. "You can't just go saying things like to men. And how the gorram hell do you even know about that kind of activity?"

River shrugged indifferently and turned back to the controls, "Being a Reader in places like Persephone where deviancy runs rampant makes very little unknown to me about sexual matters. Also, Kaylee and I sometimes watch pornography on the cortex. Kaylee points out the parts that are false and sometimes we laugh at the bad acting but some of it was educational and interesting. Kaylee says she gets good ideas about what to try with Simon from them. There were a few where the woman was being 'spanked' as you suggested earlier. She seemed to enjoy it. I have no doubt you have to skill to achieve a pleasurable response from me should you attempt it, Captain."

Mal honestly had no idea what to say to that. He was seriously going to have a talk with Kaylee. Well, no - no he wasn't. It wouldn't do any good anyhow. The damage was done. His sweet little witch of an Albatross had been corrupted. River watches porn with Kaylee and Jayne is married. Two revelations like those in one day was just a bit too much for Mal. He stood, gave River one last look, then shook his head and walked off to find Simon. He needed something to make the migraine he was getting go away.

River watched him go then grinned to herself. Poor Mal, she thought. He would come around to her way of thinking, though. She was just going to have to go slowly with him. He was attracted to her, though. The blushes and random thoughts he had about her made that apparent ever since Miranda. She just had to get him to see that she was grown up enough for him. And Jayne's wife Tessa being the same age as her helped too. She knew Mal didn't see Tessa as a little girl so he really couldn't use the age thing now. Maybe she should flirt a bit with someone else next time they landed somewhere and test the Captain's capacity for jealousy. Smiling to herself River finished setting the course for Athens then went to see Tessa was settling in.


	3. Chapter 3

Not two hours after he left her to go stack crates, Jayne found his wife with River, Zoe and Kaylee in the galley. Mal and Simon sat at the table nearby watching the women with puzzled frowns. He could tell from the delicious aroma that they were cooking something good over there but it definitely wasn't the usual protein they served on board.

"Tessa," Jayne slipped up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist peering over her shoulder at the food. "You having fun with the girls? Food smells good."

She smiled up at him and nodded, "I'm gonna be the new cook. River talked the Captain into it not an hour ago."

"She didn't talk me into nothing," Mal protested from the table. "I already told you you could be the cook when Jayne introduced you."

"Yes but your offer was made because you didn't want her to feel she 'had' to marry Jayne," River reminded him. Mal grumbled under his breath then and she rolled her eyes. "I simply reminded you that Tessa would get bored with nothing to do on board but cater to Jayne's needs as his wife. And the meals we ingest needed to be upgraded in quality. This clever concoction she calls chicken and rice. I've never had rice without curry but it smells delicious. And the chicken is real too, from the frozen meat we acquired in the last stop on Muir."

Jayne nodded and kissed the top of Tessa's head then released her and joined the men at the table. "I'm sure we'll all appreciate not having to eat the Doc's cooking in any case," he said. Then looking back at Tessa who met his eyes he gave her a reassuring wink that made her blush before going back to her cooking. He then turned his attention to Mal who kept glancing warily at River across the room. Now that was interesting. Clearing his throat to get the Captain's attention he asked, "We got any jobs lined up?"

"We're unloading this cargo we picked up this morning at Athens and then we'll be stopping by Kerry. River says she has a client lined up there," Mal told him. He glanced back over at River then and sighed.

"You and Moonbrain have a fight or something?" Jayne asked curiously. Mal turned wide eyes at him and shook his head.

"Nope, we're fine, just shiny," Mal forced a smile to his face but Jayne gave him a knowing look and he folded. Glancing at Simon first then back to Jayne he nodded toward the door, "Talk a walk?"

Jayne nodded and the two men rose walking out and up to the catwalk for a chat. It was odd for Mal to actually want to talk to Jayne but it made a kind of sense he supposed. Jayne was the only other man on the ship besides Simon and Mal sure as hell wasn't gonna discuss his problem with him.

"She sure got you tied up in knots over something," Jayne smirked seeing the Captain pacing back and forth anxiously in front of him. He leaned back against the railing and crossed his arms over his chest.

Mal nodded and ran a frustrated hand through his hair. "She's gone and let Kaylee corrupt her is what she's done," he finally said. Jayne raised his brows in surprise and confusion. The Captain huffed and blurted out, "They watch porn on the cortex together."

At that Jayne burst out laughing. Mal scowled at him darkly and the merc forced himself to calm back down. "Okay, so they've been watching dirty movies," he said nodding. "What's the big deal? She was gonna get curious about sex eventually. River's just as much a woman now as my wife is. Hell, out on the Rim planets sixteen is legal age and fourteen is on some of the real bad ones. My ma was sixteen when she married my pa and he was older, thirty-six if I recall. Besides that, Kaylee's far from innocent. I know she's all smiles, teddy bear overalls and sunshine but you should hear some of the stuff her and the Doc get up to at night. I can't help but hear seeing as my bunk's right next door."

"There's more," Mal stated dryly. Jayne waved a hand expectantly for him to go on. "She propositioned me today."

"River or Kaylee?" Jayne asked frowning. Mal gave him a 'who do you think, idiot' look and the merc nodded. "River then. Well, what kind of a proposition was it?"

"She offered to let me spank her if the result was pleasurable," the Captain stated and Jayne choked on the coughing laugh he almost let out. "She said that in one of the movies she and Kaylee watched that one of the women had been spanked and seemed to enjoy it and that she had no doubt I had enough skill to bring the same response out in her. She says the movies are educational."

Jayne nodded slowly taking that in. Then he cocked his head to the side and regarded Mal a moment. Then he asked, "What exactly is the problem, Mal? She's legal now and seems to have taken a liking to you. Is it that you ain't attracted or what?"

"She's River," Mal said as if it were obvious and he was speaking to a small child. Jayne just nodded again and Mal growled his frustration raking both hands through his hair and resuming his pacing in front of the merc. "She's my little Albatross, my Reader witch, and you know - she's not supposed to be - I just - oh gorram it, I give up. I don't know what the hell's wrong with me. I was fine this morning. I woke up and everything was all right in the verse. Then I find out you've gone and gotten married to my favorite commanding officer's little girl, that said officer is now dead along with the rest of his family, and then on top of that my sweet little Albatross decides to let me know just how corrupted she's become. It's enough to give a man grey hair."

"Well, little girls grow up, Mal. It's one of those things you can't do anything about," Jayne told him carefully choosing his words. "River wasn't exactly a child when she came on board either. She was sixteen then, almost seventeen. I know her - condition - made it hard to see her as a near grown up woman but she's been a lot better since Miranda. Doc says she's got her Reader abilities under control and no one's sending her them messages to her brain anymore. She ain't sliced me open again either or taken out any nightclubs. Have you considered maybe you're just afraid to see her as a woman because you'd like it too much?"

As soon as those words were out of his mouth Jayne wished he could take them back because Mal's fist collided with his jaw a second later. He might not could hit as hard Jayne but Mal could throw a good right hook when he took the notion. Rubbing his jaw and glaring at the Captain with one hand he held the other up in surrender and turned to walk towards the galley calling back over his shoulder, "I think we hit on the root of your problem, Capt'n. Now you just gotta deal with it."

Mal stood there rubbing his fist and brooding angrily over the cargo bay before the catwalk. That was just ridiculous. Why the hell would he be afraid of River becoming a woman? Like it too much? He scoffed and set a glare in the direction Jayne had left. That was the dumbest thing he'd heard all day.

Jayne returned to the galley chuckling to himself and took back his seat at the table. He looked over at River and she met his gaze with a knowing smirk. The little mind reader had been listening in on their conversation. He almost pitied Mal for whatever she had in mind for him. As for himself, well he thought looking over at his wife smiling at something Zoe was telling her, he had his hands full trying to figure out this marriage business. So far he liked it. They hadn't really been alone since that morning but they'd have the whole night after supper was over to spend together in their bunk. He planned on it being a very enjoyable night for both of them since she'd given the go ahead to not waiting on their consummation.

He wanted to talk to her about meeting his family when they landed on Kerry too. His ma would never forgive him if he didn't bring his bride to meet her. She'd adore Tessa, probably want them to stay and settle down there. They'd already talked about that though and neither of them was ready to settle down anyplace permanent just yet. He loved his job there on Serenity and the crew was the best he'd been on, and she was wary of staying on land too long since Reavers killed her family and everyone she'd known and burned the ranch and town down on her home moon. Maybe one day they'd get a place and set down roots but it wouldn't be anytime soon.

Supper was served a few moments later and Mal came back to join them to eat. Tessa sat down next to Jayne and smiled at him then frowned abruptly and gasped, taking hold of his chin to peer at the bruise forming on his jaw. "Darlin, what happened?" she asked worriedly.

"Ah baby, it was nothing. Mal and I had a little difference of opinion on something," Jayne shrugged it off and gave her a quick kiss. "Eat up, bao bei. This food smells too good to let it sit and get cold."

Tessa released him and turned an angry glare on Mal. "Why did you strike my husband, Captain?" she asked in a cold, angry tone that took him and the others completely by surprise. It was the first time that day that any of them had heard her sound anything but sweet and warm."No, don't answer that," she continued hotly. "I will not allow anyone to hurt my darlin! Do you understand me, Malcolm Reynolds?! I will not have it!"

"Baby, it's okay," Jayne said trying to calm her down. Clearly his wife had a black Irish temper to go along with her hair. "Really, I'm fine. He hits like a girl. River would've done more damage."

"I don't want you being hit at all!" Tessa insisted furiously. She pointed a warning finger at Mal and stated seriously, "You lay a hand on my husband again and I'll smack you over the head with a frying pan. Do ya hear me?"

Mal just nodded mutely. He really should have remembered that temper. The Major had one too and so did his wife Maggie. It must hereditary because all of the sudden Tessa was scary as hell. Satisfied that he'd gotten her point the little New Irish hellion turned back to her husband and pressed a soft kiss on his bruise then went back to her meal. The rest of the crew just stared in awe and shock before Jayne cleared his throat and glared at all of them.

"Well, eat up," he barked. "My wife cooked a fine meal and you're letting it sit there and get cold."

They snapped to attention, even Mal who really had had a rough day altogether and now just wanted to go to bed. The Captain wondered absently if he should change the name of his ship. Serenity seemed a tad wrong for a ship that housed such a temperamental, trouble-making crew. Tyen knew it wasn't ever peaceful or calm on board.


	4. Chapter 4

{Smut warning. Apologies to diehard Rayne fans. I'm usually one too so I understand if you skip this chapter. I had to give Jayne and Tessa a good wedding night.}

Feel free to review and let me know what y'all think. :) Have a great weekend.

* * *

Later that evening, Mal came across Jayne leaning against the wall outside his and Tessa's bunk looking seriously put out. Smirking the Captain asked, "She toss you out already, Jayne?"

"Nope, it's our wedding night and all though so I have to wait here till she's finished doing whatever it is they do. River, Zoe and Kaylee are down there with her," Jayne explained. He still didn't like it, though. There was no telling what those girls were telling her. He was only too aware just what the women of Serenity thought of him and none of it was gonna make him look shiny to his new wife.

Mal frowned, not sure why all the other girls had to be down there with her. What were they doing? No, he didn't wanna know. Some things about women were best left a mystery to men.

Simon came up to them with a curious, amused expression seeing the two of them just standing there in the walkway then cleared his throat asking, "Have either of you seen Kaylee? I can't find her."

"She's down there with the rest of the girls getting Tessa ready for the wedding night," Mal explained. Simon nodded and glanced warily at Jayne. He still didn't understand why a girl like Tessa had voluntarily married the 'man-ape gone wrong'. "What do you need her for, Doc?"

Jayne snorted looking at the Captain in mocking disbelief, "What do you think he needs her for, Mal, cataloging medicine?"

"I don't need to hear about that! I done told everybody the Captain don't wanna hear about any nefarious goings on with his crew," Mal snapped glaring at the both of them.

"Well frankly, I'm curious about when the Doc here's gonna make an honest woman outta our Kaylee," Jayne stated pinning Simon with a steely gaze. "You do wanna marry her, don'tcha?"

Simon fought the urge to squirm under the merc's stare and cleared his throat nervously, fidgeting with the collar of his shirt. Mal grinned and crossed his arms leaning against the wall.

"Now, that is a good question, Jayne," Mal said in a deceptively casual tone. "How long have you and Kaylee been bunking together, Doc? What's it, four – five months now?"

"Well now, you gotta take into account the courting too, Capt'n," Jayne added. "They were doing that, badly mind you, for almost two years that him and Moonbrain's been on board. You ain't just stringing little Kaylee along, are you Doc?"

"No, of course not!" Simon snapped getting angry. "We haven't discussed matrimony as yet but I'm perfectly open to the idea."

"You are?" Kaylee's hopeful voice asked from behind Jayne's back. The men all turned to see her, River and Zoe in the open door of Jayne's bunk looking more than amused by the men's conversation.

Simon nodded, gulping audibly then said, "Yes, I'm willing to discuss it."

"Is my wife ready yet?" Jayne asked the women impatiently. He'd been standing out here almost an hour now and his patience had run out after the first fifteen or so. He wanted his bride to himself and he wanted her now.

"She's waiting for you," Zoe told him in her calm, stoic tone. Then she raised a brow in warning, "Be good to her, Jayne. I can hurt you."

"How I treat Tessa ain't anything you'll ever need to worry about," Jayne told her in a rare, serious tone. She gave him a curt nod then walked off.

Simon had already been pulled away by Kaylee to go do whatever it was they did.

"Well, night all, we'll be up at some time tomorrow – maybe," Jayne said then turned and gave Mal and River still standing there a mock salute before going down into his bunk and locking the door behind him.

That left River alone with Mal. The two studied one another a moment, an awkward tension now between them that neither really knew how to fix. Finally River just turned and silently walked away toward the bridge. Mal watched her go worriedly. In her eyes had been a strange hurt-like expression and he knew it was because he'd been avoiding her since this morning's talk. They had been getting along so great lately, he'd thought. He didn't want them to change. But then the whole attraction and sex thing had gotten thrown in and Mal knew, just knew, from some of her comments that she'd caught a few of his dreams and random sexual thoughts about her. Going down to his bunk and finally getting into bed he figured maybe everything would be clearer in the morning.

* * *

The lights were dimmed and there were candles lit everywhere in the bunk when Jayne came down. He saw flower petals all over the floor and followed their trail over to the bed where his bride stood beside it. His breath caught at the sight of her. There wasn't a more beautiful creature in the verse than his wife, Jayne was sure of it.

She was barefoot and her long hair fell down her back in thick soft raven curls. She wore an ivory silk, sleeveless nightgown that hugged and draped her curves to perfection. The deep v-neck showed off those luscious breasts she had and the slit on the left side went all the way to her upper thigh revealing a long, shapely leg encased in creamy porcelain skin. There was no makeup or perfume on her to add any artifice. Nope, Jayne thought, Tessa was one of those rare, natural beauties. He was a luckier hun dan than he deserved being able to call her his.

Their eyes met, ocean blue clashing with emerald green, and as Jayne closed the distance between them time seemed to slow and standstill. He was amazed to find his hands trembled slightly as he reached up to cup her cheeks gently and gaze down at her. She covered her hands with his and smiled softly, her expression so open and trusting that it humbled him and made his chest ache. He bent his head and kissed her brushing his lips gently over hers until she kissed back. Then he deepened it and moved his hands down to wrap around her waist and pull her flush against him.

Tessa was overwhelmed by him. None of Michael O'Reilly's kisses in the hayloft when they were just kids of thirteen had ever felt the way her husband's kisses did now. Jayne made her body feel on fire and her head was drowning in sensation when his slightly firmer, rougher lips met her softer, fuller ones. Then he eased his tongue inside and their tastes collided so deliciously that her knees buckled beneath her and she let out an involuntary moan.

Jayne caught her before she could fall, his arms lifting her up and carefully placing her on the bed behind her. He never took his mouth from hers, didn't think he could if wanted to. Kissing Tessa had quickly become his favorite habit. She tasted like raspberries and honey. He couldn't get enough of it. That moan she'd let out had nearly undone his self-control. It was gonna be close but he had promised he'd make it good for her and his pa always told him to start something the way you intended to continue. He wasn't gonna start out their marriage by not keeping his word to her.

Taking a moment to pause and gather his wits, Jayne broke their kiss and leaned back to look at her. He grinned at the flush on her skin and darkened lust in those gorgeous eyes of hers. A man could drown in those eyes of hers. They had a way of grabbing hold of you and looking straight into your soul.

She returned his smile and caressed his cheek and then his mouth tracing the outline of his goatee. "What is it, airen?" she whispered.

"You're beautiful," Jayne whispered back roughly. His voice sounded strange to his ears. There was emotion in it that he had never heard before. Shaking it off he moved his hands to the hem of her gown and inched it up her legs slowly, his eyes never leaving hers. She just smiled at him and to his surprise and delight reached down and took hold of his t-shirt pulling it up and off him then tossed it carelessly to the floor.

Tessa let her hands roam over his upper half now so wonderfully bare to her gaze and touch. He was magnificent as far as she was concerned. His muscles were well-defined but not bulky like most men his size and she liked the hair on his chest. All the men she'd grown up with had been manly men like Jayne was. She doubted that she could have been happy with a Core bred pretty boy like Kaylee's beau Simon. Not her Jayne, though. He was rough and hardened, bore scars here and there from various adventures through the years, and she wouldn't have him any other way.

Looking into Jayne's eyes now that she had finished most of her exploration, the parts she could reach and see so far anyway, Tessa noticed a bit of uncertainty. Grinning she told him, "You're the beautiful one, darlin. Make love to me."

He didn't need to be told twice. Jayne took her mouth in a fierce kiss and then pulled her gown up and over her head tossing it back behind him to the floor. He paused and leaned back to look at her, floored once again by how perfect she was. His erection had gotten to the point it was painful but he still wasn't gonna take her till she was ready for him. When she moved her hands involuntarily to cover her breasts and mound he took her wrists gently and shook his head.

"Let me look, baby. You're the shiniest thing I've ever seen, Tessa," he told her, his tone almost reverent as he gazed at her taking in every detail. This was his wife, his woman for the rest of his life. She'd lie beside him every night, wake beside him every morning, share his triumphs and failures, secrets and hopes and fears, bear their children, and grow old with him. There wasn't a more precious soul in the verse to him than she was. He never thought he'd have that, knew he didn't deserve it, but damned if he was gonna ever let her go. He'd die first.

Jayne kissed her again, letting his hands caress and roam her curves thoroughly. He didn't want to leave any place untouched. He took note of what made her gasp or moan or cry out his name. Her hands weren't idle either. He was glad of that, that she was just as curious and enthusiastic about pleasing him as he was her. She was so responsive and passionate, didn't know how not to be or how to fake it the way whores or experienced, seasoned women could. Every sound and feeling he brought out in her was because of him and it was a hell of a rush to know that.

"You taste so good, baby," he groaned as he took one nipple and then the other into his mouth and suckled until she was crying out with pleasure and rocking unconsciously against him, her hands buried in his hair.

"Jayne," Tessa gasped out. It was too good. The man was a genius. She had no idea that her body could feel like this. Then he worked his way down between her legs. She experienced a second of utter shock when she felt his mouth on her and then moments later was shaking uncontrollably, nearly crying from the pleasure he was giving her with his hands, lips, teeth and tongue.

Wu de ma, Jayne thought as he devoured her swollen, wet and still un-tried pink flesh between her thighs. He had never tasted anything as sweet as his bride. He could happily stay here nibbling and licking the rest of his life. He rarely indulged in this with the whores he used to spend time with. He was compelled to taste Tessa, though. She was his.

She screamed when she came a moment later and he came up over her, watching her and encouraging her as the waves of her very first orgasm crashed over her. "That's it, baby. You're so beautiful, bao bei," he whispered against her mouth. She grasped his hair and kissed him deeply tasting herself on his lips and rode out her climax on his fingers still working her.

"Too good, that felt too good, Jayne," Tessa managed to get out when she calmed a little. He chuckled and grinned at her.

"There's more, baby," he told her rocking his hips into hers and letting her feel his hardness against her. She whimpered at the sensation and wanting it to be good for him too, reached down and undid his pants. Jayne helped her get them off then paused when he saw her face pale with shock. "What is it?"

"That won't fit," she shook her head and brought wide-eyes up to his. He just smiled and shook his head kissing her again.

"Yeah, it will, bao bei. Don't worry," Jayne assured her. She still looked uncertain but a few moments later when he had her all warmed up again and stretched her a little with two fingers inside her, her fears about his above-average size were forgotten. Or they were until he removed his fingers and replaced them with his cock, easing inside her slowly. He took his time, letting her adjust to him until he hit resistance and paused. Then he took her mouth in a deep kiss and thrust through the barrier to the hilt before stilling deep inside her. Jayne broke the kiss tasting her tears and she let out a slight sob. He kissed the tears away.

"I know, baby. I'm sorry. It'll go away in a minute," Jayne assured her softly. She nodded and took a deep breath then let it out.

Tessa hadn't meant to cry but it had hurt. Her husband clearly wasn't a small man but honestly she'd never given much thought to the size of that portion of a man's anatomy. It was getting better but it had burned and pinched like hell when he'd first entered her. As the pain ebbed away a strange fullness replaced it and the ache she had before when he touched her came back even stronger. She rocked her hips into his experimentally and he grabbed her hips to still her letting out a low growling moan that to her shock made her belly surge with lust. She loved the sounds he made, his voice deep and gravelly and husky.

"It doesn't hurt now," she whispered bringing her hands up to rub his chest. He opened his eyes that had been shut tight trying to maintain his self-control and met hers. Then he began to move, slow and deep inside her. The sensation was incredible. Tessa took his hands from her hips and entwined their fingers together as she began to move with him finding his rhythm and matching it.

She was a natural, Jayne couldn't help but think as he gradually increased the pace and rhythm of his thrusts. This woman was made for him; fit him like a matched puzzle piece. Soon they were going fast, hard and deep, and his moans and shouts of encouragements were just as loud as his wife's. Nothing had ever felt this good before. He nearly cried with relief when he felt her getting close. How he'd managed to last this long he had no idea.

Slipping a hand between them to work her clit, he went deeper than ever and kissed her hard swallowing her scream as she climaxed hard, clamping around him like a vise. He roared his release then, pumping his seed deep inside her. The force of it made him black out a second then he realized with shock that he was shaking. He'd never in all his forty years come that hard before.

As they began to calm down he eased out of her carefully, knowing she was gonna be sore as hell in the morning, and lowered himself to the bed beside her, pulled the covers over them and wrapped her up in his arms to rest curled against his chest. She wound an arm over his torso and rested her head in the crook of his shoulder, her fingers idly stroking his chest, both of them feeling sleepy and content now. Jayne's last thought before he followed her into sleep was that if he ever lost her now they'd have to put a bullet in him.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Things are likely to start moving faster after this chapter and the next one. Let me know what y'all think. Enjoy :)**

* * *

The next morning Jayne woke up and reached for his wife only to find an empty spot in the bed. Frowning he sat up and looked around but she wasn't in the room either. Then he heard the shower going. With a grin he got up and slipped in to join her. She was startled by his presence at first but gave him a somewhat shy smile when she realized it was him. He gave her wet, bare shoulder a kiss sliding his arms around her and nuzzled her neck. The shower in their bunk was just big enough for both of them to move around in it.

"How are you feelin' this morning, bao bei?" he asked, his voice rough with sleep. Well now, that was the mother of all blushes creeping up his wife's neck. Chuckling he said, "Baby, I know you can't still be that shy about it after last night."

"Not about it, no, but it's still odd to talk about so frankly," Tessa answered. Then she turned and gazed up at him uncertainly. "Was it – I mean, was I -,"

He cut her off with a firm kiss and brushed her hair back from her face. "You were perfect, baby. It's never been that good for me before. But I'm concerned about you. I told you, you don't have to worry about pleasing me. Was I – too rough? I know it got pretty rough there toward the end," he began to babble a bit and it was her turn to kiss him into silence.

Tessa's eyes met his steadily and she assured him, "I never imagined feeling what you made me feel last night, darlin. Will it be like that every time?"

"For us it will, I swear it, baby," Jayne sealed that promise with another kiss, relieved that everything was shiny between them this morning. Then he proceeded to teach her all about shower sex. It was the most fun he'd had in a shower in years.

* * *

After they showered and dressed the couple went to the galley where Tessa began to prepare breakfast for the crew as Serenity's new cook. Jayne brought a couple of his guns with him that needed cleaning and sat down at the table. It wasn't long before the rest of the crew began to stir. River was the first to join them in the galley

"May I help?" River asked Tessa with an indicating wave of her hand toward the breakfast of eggs, biscuits and bacon that she was preparing. The coffee and tea was already ready on the counter nearby.

Tessa nodded smiling at her, "Of course you can, darlin. I'll teach you how to make biscuits."

River's face lit up with the idea of learning something new, something useful besides quantum mechanics and the practical theory of aerodynamics and etcetera. So few things were a foreign concept to her but cooking and other domestic chores learned by most women in the Rim worlds had eluded her. If Tessa was willing to teach her then she was certainly willing to learn. Perhaps knowing those skills would make Mal see her as more of woman too. He came from a place not unlike Tessa, Kaylee and Jayne's home moons where cooking, sewing and various other domestic skills were imperative for the rough pioneer-like life there. Knowing such things was also an indicator of a woman's readiness for marriage and starting a family in those places. Yes, she thought, Mal would definitely appreciate it.

"I would be grateful to learn," River told Tessa. The other woman gave her an approving, warm smile then set them to work for River's first cooking lesson.

Jayne watched them from the table with a cautious eye. He knew River had been much better since Miranda but he wasn't sure he wanted her and Tessa becoming best buddies or anything. On the other hand, maybe Tessa needed a friend her age too. Zoe was more like a mother figure to the girls and Kaylee was all wrapped up in the Doc right now to really notice anybody else. Inara had left them about a month after Miranda. She and Mal's truce had been brief and soon the pair were bickering and fighting every time they spoke just like before. Jayne kinda wondered what she'd have thought of Tessa. He had a feeling the two women wouldn't have gotten along that well.

Mal wandered in next, still half asleep, and poured himself a cup of coffee with gruff, "Mornin'," to them all before taking a seat at the table with Jayne.

"Rough night?" Jayne asked him. Truth be told Mal looked like he'd been through all nine circles of the Hell Book used to preach about this morning.

"You could say that," Mal muttered into his cup. "I'm sound-proofing everybody's bunks next time we're in Persephone."

The girls must have heard that comment because a bowl shattering on the floor caught the men's attention the next moment. Tessa had dropped it. She looked at it on the floor, then the men and blushed furiously.

"I'm sorry," she said before dropping down to pick up the pieces. Jayne was there before she could, though and took her hands in his.

"Hey," he said gently and she raised her eyes to look at him. He lowered his voice to a whisper and said, "There's nothing to be embarrassed about, baby. Don't let anybody make you feel ashamed of what we do together in our bunk. We're married. There's nothing wrong with it. Now, let me get this. I don't wantcha cutting yourself."

"Okay," she nodded and he smiled at her before she rose and went to get the dustpan and broom for him.

After Jayne had cleaned up the mess and the girls were back to making biscuits he went back to the table and sat down leveling a dark glare on Mal who did have the decency to look sheepish about what he'd said.

"Don't let that happen again," Jayne told him in a voice too low for the girls to hear. "You wouldn't want me making comments like that embarrassing River or Kaylee. She's still new to all of that."

"Fair enough," Mal nodded. He hadn't meant to embarrass Tessa like that. Honestly it hadn't been hearing Jayne and Tessa in the bunk next to his or even Simon and Kaylee further down that had kept him up tossing and turning all night. It had been River; nightmares about River. He had a particularly bad one last night that woke him yelling and covered in a cold sweat. They had been on a job on Whitefall and been ambushed by Alliance coming after her again. There had been a stand-off and then two of those blue men had offered River a choice of going willingly and letting everyone else live or killing them all. Mal had protested and been held back from stopping her as she dropped her gun and blade and walked off to the blue men. He had screamed for her not to do it. But she had looked at him in that calm, accepting way she had when she needed to face a danger and told him softly that it was the only way. Then he'd watched while those blue men had taken out a gun, put it to River's head and pulled the trigger. That's when he'd woken up. Needless to say he hadn't gotten back to sleep after that.

Looking over at her now, Mal couldn't help but smile at how happy she seemed this morning. Tessa seemed like she would be a good influence on her. Mal still wasn't sure why he saw them so differently. They were the same age and all. Both were beautiful young women in their own right. Tessa was curvier but River had a beautiful body too, a dancer's body; svelte and those legs of hers were perfection. He loved watching her dance in the cargo bay late at night after everyone had gone to bed. He would stand up on the catwalk and watch her for hours swirling, leaping and doing those impossible balletic moves of hers to music only she could hear. She was never more beautiful to him than right then; except that time on Mr. Universe's moon when those doors opened and he saw her standing there surrounded by dead Reavers, covered in blood and trembling from exertion but still victorious at having defended and protected their family. His knees had nearly buckled with relief at seeing her there alive after that brief moment of panic that followed his crew's silence when he asked about her.

That hadn't been the day his perspective of her had changed, though. No, that moment had come after she had taken out the Maidenhead. He had carried her back to the ship despite every logical thought in his brain that it was safer to cut their losses and leave her and Simon there. But he couldn't and he hadn't. Instead he'd taken her back to Serenity and proceeded to give that Alliance Operator a metaphorical stiff middle finger, launching a full scale battle against those that would take her from him and nearly getting them all killed in the process. They had suffered losses with Wash and with Book and the people of Haven, Whitefall, and Santo, and Mr. Universe too. But River was okay and as selfish and heartless as that may seem of him, he could live with the rest of it. Besides, they had gotten the Alliance back by broadcasting the Miranda Wave. Reavers were no longer campfire tales but real, live nightmares and the Alliance now had their hands full carrying out the public demand to rid the verse of those abominations.

Mal sighed and took another long swallow of his coffee. River. The sweet, brilliant genius witch that occupied his mind constantly these days. As infatuated as he'd been with Inara during her brief stint on Serenity, he had never been so consumed by her as he was with River Tam. His feelings for River went deeper than any he'd ever felt before. Was it right, though? That question kept him up more than the others. She was still on the fragile side sanity-wise though she had been doing much better since Miranda. She was still very innocent despite everything she had gone through with the Academy and since then. Her pranks and playful nature showed how much of a child she still had in her. But was there really anything wrong with loving her? He had lived a hard life, still bore the burden of so many dead from the war and since then because those people had trusted him and followed him into battle. Didn't he deserve a little happiness and affection if he could find it? River could give that to him. She already brought so much warmth, laughter and light into his life, to the lives of everyone here on his ship. She was his Albatross. Did it really matter that he was older? Tessa and Jayne didn't seem to be having a problem with their age difference. He had initially thought ill of Jayne for marrying a girl so young because well, - it was **'Jayne'**, but now that he saw them together they really did seem to fit.

"You look deep in thought, Capt'n," Kaylee said glancing at him as she and Simon entered the room. He nodded at her in acknowledgement and forced a smile on his face.

"Morning, you two," Mal told them.

Kaylee went over and peered at the breakfast that Tessa was cooking. River was keeping vigil watch on the biscuits in the oven that she had helped make. "Wow, that looks so good," she announced cheerfully beaming a smile at Tessa and River, "Smells even better."

"River helped make the biscuits," Tessa told the friendly mechanic with a proud note in her voice.

Simon snorted pouring himself a cup of tea, "I'd better get the food poison supplements ready."

"You mind your tongue. They'll be delicious and you'll eat them with a smile or you'll get no dessert tonight at supper," Tessa scolded pointing a finger at him and scowling.

It was odd that she could make you feel like naughty child without even raising her voice, Simon thought while nodding and backing away slowly to the table where he sat down. He supposed she'd have to be like that to put up with Jayne, though, juvenile and crude as the mercenary could be.

And it turned out that the biscuits were delicious, as was the rest of breakfast. It even put Mal in such a good mood that he let out a genuinely happy smile when it was over and they were all sitting around the table.

"Well, little darlin," Mal stated looking at Tessa. "I do believe we've fought the perfect cook."

Tessa beamed under the praise and Jayne let out a growl of warning to the Captain that got everyone's attention. He leaned forward and told Mal, "You don't call my wife 'darlin'. I can, you can't."

"Hey now, I'm the Captain around here and she's crew now! I'll call her darlin if I want to," Mal protested. He was getting fed up with the lack of respect around here. "I'll call her sugar pie or buttercup if I ruttin feel like it and there ain't a gorram thing you can do about it!"

That was all he got out before Jayne's fist plowed into his face. He hit the floor hard, fell right out of his chair from the force of it. And then River was there beside him helping him up grimacing at the rapid swelling of his eye while Tessa was up and pushing Jayne back with her hands on his chest looking all kinds of pissed off.

"You get control of that temper of yours, Jayne Cobb!" Tessa yelled straight up into her husband's face. "There was no excuse for that kind of violence over silly name-calling that didn't mean a thing! You've got no reason to be jealous and you bloody well know it! Apologize right this instant!"

Jayne grumbled in protest and shook his head defiantly crossing his arms over his chest and towering over his wife. "No, I won't! He was out of line! I won't have any other man calling you pet names!" he told her firmly. "You're my wife, gorram it!"

She sighed and shook her head then took his face in her hands and brought him down to her level to look in his eyes. "He knows that, darlin. I don't want anyone but you, Jayne. It's just a stupid name."

"What if some other woman was to call me darlin or honey or something like that? You wouldn't like it one bit and you ruttin know it," Jayne said to her but he did uncross his arms to let his hands rest on her hips.

"Don't you use that foul language with me again, Cobb," she scolded. He growled again and nearly smirked when she blushed involuntarily at the reaction her body had to it.

"Woman, if you don't stop tellin' me what to do I'm gonna put you over my knee and tan your hide," Jayne warned her. She gasped and glared up at him.

"You wouldn't dare," Tessa challenged darkly. The next thing she knew she was over his shoulder and he was carrying her out of the galley and down to their bunk. "Jayne! You put me down now! This isn't funny, Jayne. You don't really mean to do it, do you? Jayne!"

The other watched them go with a sense of shock and amazement. Zoe came in a moment later looking bemused. "I take it that was their first fight I was witnessing as I passed them in the hallway?" she asked. They nodded. "Well, Kaylee, it was under the twenty-four hours so you owe me 20 credits."

"Drat," Kaylee muttered under her breath. "I had three days at least."

A moment later they heard a few loud yelps from Tessa followed by a succession of loud, New Irish curses, Jayne's deep laughter and then the unmistakable sounds of the couple experiencing their first round of makeup sex.

River and Mal's gazes met and both of them blushed and cleared their throats awkwardly before turning away and going in separate directions out of the room, her to the bridge and him to the cargo bay. Jayne and Tessa's fight had reminded them both all too clearly of the conversation they'd had yesterday morning. Unfortunately for the pair, the crew had witnessed that little exchange between the Captain and his Albatross, too.


	6. Chapter 6

That afternoon they landed on Athens. Mal and River had successfully evaded the rest of the crew so far that day and Jayne and Tessa were still in their bunk when the ship touched down in port. The newlyweds were getting ready when Mal's voice came over the com to tell them that Jayne was needed for the job and would his wife please send him up.

"You heard him, darlin," Tessa grinned at her husband watching him strap on his guns and knives. He gave her wink and a kiss before he headed out. She followed, grabbing a large basket as she went, and met up with Kaylee and River in the cargo bay while Mal, Zoe and Jayne were getting the mule ready to go deliver their cargo to the buyer.

"All ready?" Kaylee asked Tessa cheerfully. "You're gonna love it here. It's not as rich as Persephone is but they've got these cute shops and there's these things called cosmic sarsaparillas that are shiny."

Tessa nodded. "I'm looking forward to it. I haven't seen much of the verse yet," she told the other girls as they toward the open bay doors that led to the town.

Jayne happened to see them about to leave and walked over grabbing Tessa's arm in a gentle but firm grip. "Whoa, where are you going, baby?" he asked her confused. He didn't like the idea of her going off without him on a strange planet, well strange to her anyway.

"I have to go to the market to get more groceries and a few other things. And Kaylee was gonna show us a few things too," Tessa explained.

Mal came over to them now too and looked at River expectantly, "Tross?"

"I will keep them safe, Captain," River stated with calm assurance.

"Meaning you ain't going on the drop with us?" he asked and she nodded. "I see."

"Simon will stay with the ship," River told him. "There should be no trouble with the drop. The buyers are on the level. My presence will not be required there. And I would also like to try the cosmic sarsaparillas."

"See, darlin it'll be fine," Tessa told Jayne removing his hand from her arm with a reassuring pat. "River's going with us."

Jayne leaned in close and told her firmly, "You go to the market and come straight back here. No stopping at the shops or that saloon that makes those drinks. If you want one that bad then I'll go with you later. I don't want you in those places without me with you."

"But -," she began but he shook his head.

"I said no, Tessa," Jayne snapped and she flinched at his tone but nodded anyway. Satisfied she'd taken his meaning he kissed her quickly then went back to the mule.

Tessa, Kaylee and River left looking far less cheerful than they had a moment ago. Mal frowned after them before going over to the mule and climbing into the driver's seat then driving them off to the drop point.

"You sure you weren't too hard on her, Jayne?" Mal asked the merc in a casual tone a few moments later.

"Yeah, Jayne, you came close to using the word 'forbid' back there. You might wanna avoid dictating things to her outright," Zoe warned in well-meaning advice.

"As bad as our luck usually is and seeing how quick things can get bad, you'll both have to forgive me if I'm just a little protective of my young, innocent wife. She's got no idea how bad folks can be and I'd like to keep it that way as long as I can. Besides that, three pretty girls alone in a place like this one is just inviting trouble," Jayne stated gruffly. He then slid his sunglasses on and proceeded to ignore the Captain and first mate the rest of the ride.

* * *

After getting what they needed from the market, the girls were walking on their way back to the ship when Kaylee stopped in front of the Nightingale saloon and gave River and Tessa a positively mischievous grin.

Tessa frowned at it and shook her head. "It's already dark out and Jayne was adamant that we go right back to the ship," she told them.

"Jayne ain't your daddy," Kaylee said dragging her inside with River following. "He's your husband and we're all grown women who can do what we like. We'll just have one drink then we'll go. It'll all be shiny. You'll see."

The three of them checked their belongings with the bartender and then sat down at the bar to have a drink. It turned out that cosmic sarsaparillas were 'cosmic' because they possessed a large quantity of alcohol.

"You girls picked a good night to come in," the bartender told them grinning. "Ladies drink free tonight and we've got a live band setting up over there."

Kaylee beamed, "Then keep 'em coming, bartender."

"Kaylee," Tessa began slowly after taking a sip of her drink, "There's a lot of liquor in these. You said one drink and we'd leave."

"Come on, Tessa, Jayne can part with you for a little while. Live a little. We're having girl time. You like it, don't you, River?" Kaylee asked the other girl sipping her drink on Kaylee's other side curiously.

"It is delicious," River declared finally then looked over at the band setting up. "I look forward to the music."

"Yeah, you'll get to dance, River," Kaylee nodded her agreement.

Tessa was still uncertain about going against Jayne's wishes but she hadn't liked the way he'd 'told her' what to do either. Clearly there was no reasoning with Kaylee at this point as well so she decided to just keep quiet and go with the flow till they were ready to leave. It didn't seem like a bad place in any case.

* * *

Jayne groaned with relief when he, Mal and Zoe finally got back to the ship. The drop had taken six hours to complete; two and a half hours to get there, an hour to transfer the cargo over and get their payment and another two and a half hours to get back. He wanted a hot shower, some food and some time alone with his wife. The sight of Simon pacing the floor nervously in the cargo bay when they drove in and parked the mule did not bode well for Jayne's plans, though.

"What's wrong?" Mal demanded of the worried looking doctor.

"Well," Simon began hesitantly seeing the Captain and Jayne's dark expressions. He sighed heavily and blurted out, "They aren't back yet."

"We've been gone six hours, Simon," Mal pointed out. "They couldn't have needed more than two to go to the market and come back."

"I know," the doctor nodded. "That's why I called them on their com to ask where they were a few hours ago. But they didn't answer. Some man did and said he was the bartender at some place called the Nightingale. Apparently they had to check their coms with him behind the bar. He said the girls were having a great time, it being ladies night and all, and he'd give them my message to return to the ship. That was three hours ago."

Jayne let loose a string of furious curses in Mandarin, English and even a few Irish ones he'd learned from Tessa. Then he rechecked his guns and set off toward town. Mal caught up to him after instructing Zoe and Simon to stay with the ship.

"Now Jayne, we're just gonna find them and bring them back," Mal cautioned the angry but now oddly silent merc. "We don't wanna make a scene."

Jayne just nodded and kept walking. Mal frowned worriedly glancing at him out of the corner of his eye. He'd seen Jayne's angry side plenty of times but it was always loud and very outspoken. He wasn't sure what to make of this silent, outwardly calm anger. It somehow seemed more menacing.

* * *

_{Two hours earlier at the Nightingale}_

Ladies night was in full swing. The band that played a combination of country-western and folk music was really good and the girls were currently on the dance floor with several other patrons doing line dancing. One drink had turned into several for the trio and they were feeling pleasantly tipsy at the moment. River was having a great time dancing. She'd learned the steps for the line dances quickly from Tessa and Kaylee. In fact, she was having such a good time that she didn't notice when trouble in the form of the Henry gang walking in.

The gang was composed of five members, three brothers Craig, Jake and Billy and their cousins Hank and Roy. They were small time but young and ambitious and they caused a lot of trouble harassing folks in the area when they stopped in, women in particular. So it wasn't a surprise to the locals that knew them when they took immediate notice of the three new beautiful young women on the dance floor. The leader Craig Henry took a liking to Tessa while Jake placed dibs on River and Hank on Kaylee. That left Billy and Roy on the outs but they didn't mind as the others assured them that they'd have their turns too after Craig, Jake and Hank had had their fill of the girls in question.

During a slow song the girls returned to the bar where their new admirers were waiting. It was then that River realized what kind of trouble they were in. Unfortunately, she realized that her fighting skills wouldn't be what they needed to be in her somewhat inebriated state and that they were likely to acquire some injuries when the confrontation occurred.

"That was some show you girls put on out there, darlin," Craig told Tessa as he sidled up close to her, too close in her opinion and she let it show by moving away from him and making sure he could see her wedding band when she lifted her glass to take a sip. It didn't deter him, though. He inched close again and gave her a calculating smile. "Don't be like that, honey. Me and my boys here just wanna get to know you. We don't get many pretty girls like you three around these parts. What's your name?"

"We aren't interested and I'm married," Tessa told him coldly. "Leave us alone."

"That's a long name," Craig replied sarcastically. "Try again, honey."

"Hey, she said we ain't interested," Kaylee snapped stepping in. "You folks just go on."

"What about you, little one?" Jake asked River as he gave her a leering look. "You want us to go away too?"

"Yes, that would be preferred," River stated calmly. She needed to get sober fast. The things these men wanted to do to them were vile. The men were also armed and she wasn't. Neither were Tessa or Kaylee.

"We should get back to the ship," Tessa said to River and Kaylee. Turning to the bartender she asked, "Could you get our things please? We're leaving."

He nodded and turned to do so when Craig grabbed Tessa's arm roughly and yanked her to him. "We ain't finished here and you ain't leaving until I say so," he told her.

"Let me go and walk away," Tessa said firmly. She was nearly shaking with anger at the gall of the bastard.

"No," Craig shook his head and tightened his grip on her arm then ran his other hand down her neck to the line of her cleavage that showed in her v-neck dress. "You and I are gonna have a good time, darlin."

Well, River thought knowing what Tessa was gonna do next; he couldn't say she didn't warn him. Tessa gave Craig a smile that should have set off alarms in his head as she ran one hand slowly down his arm to his hand at her breasts while her other hand resting on the bar wrapped around the nearest bottle of liquor. A second later she grabbed hold of his hand pressing her thumb and forefinger in the nerve of his thumb joint as hard as she could while simultaneously kneeing him hard in the groin and while he was doubled over knocked him out shattering the whiskey bottle over his head.

The saloon came to a brief standstill before all hell broke loose. Jake rushed toward River pulling a knife from his belt but she disarmed him swiftly and took him out with a punch to his solar plexus and a round kick to his head. Tessa broke a bar stool over Roy's head when he jumped in on her and knocked him out with a right cross to the jaw before Hank grabbed her from behind. Kaylee grabbed another bottle from the bar and broke it over his head before Tessa stomped his foot with her boot heel and elbowed him in the face breaking his nose. River took out Billy last who pulled a gun on them and got a shot off that hit the big mirror behind the bar and shattered it. She disarmed him breaking his wrist and then twisting his arm around and dislocating his shoulder with a sickening pop and finally rendered him unconscious with a knee to his chin.

The other patrons had all fled the saloon as soon as Craig had hit the floor. So left there standing were River, Tessa and Kaylee; a wrecked bar; and five grown men unconscious on the floor and the bartender whose name they learned was Steve a moment later when the local Rim Marshal Matt Campbell showed up with his deputies after being alerted by fleeing people that a brawl was going on in the Nightingale with the Henry gang he'd been after for months now.

"Steve, you wanna tell me what happened here?" Matt asked looking at the men on the floor and the damage and finally at the three young women standing nearby looking disheveled but none the worse for wear. "Who are they?"

"They're the ones that did this," Steve said pointing to the girls. "Don't know who they are but the two dark-haired ones took out the Henry boys just a few minutes ago. I ain't figured out yet how they did it. It happened real fast, Marshal."

"Uh-huh," Matt nodded still frowning at the young women. Then he walked over to them and held out a hand, "Ident cards, ladies."

The girls reluctantly handed them over to him and waited silently while he read them. He tucked them into his breast pocket of his uniform afterward and gave them a friendly smile. "Well, I'm gonna have to take you in for disturbing the peace and destruction of property. But I'll get hold of your captain on this ship Serenity you three seem to belong to and inform him what's happened. If he pays the fine then you'll be free to go," Matt explained.

"But we didn't start it," Kaylee protested. "Them there started it. We told them to leave us alone but he grabbed Tessa and wouldn't let go. So she hit him and then the rest of 'em jumped in on us. We was defending ourselves fair and square, Marshal."

"I'm taking them in too, Miss Frye," the Marshal explained. "They're wanted for various crimes including the rape and murder of several young women not unlike yourselves. I can assure you they won't get off with just a fine."

"It's fine, Kaylee," Tessa said sighing. "He's just doing his job. We'll go quietly, Marshal."

* * *

Two hours later the girls had been booked for disturbing the peace and destruction of private property and were sitting in a cell right next to the cell that held the five men whose asses they'd just kicked. The men had come to during their arrests and were currently giving their new enemies heated death glares through the bars.

"Jayne's gonna be so mad at me," Tessa whispered sitting on the bunk in the cell with her back against the wall. She was staring down at her busted knuckles but her mind was on her husband's warning earlier that day that she'd allowed Kaylee to talk her into ignoring.

"Oh, mei mei, don't fret none. I'll just tell him it was my fault," Kaylee assured her. "I did drag you in there when you wanted to go home. I'm sorry I got us into this, y'all."

The Marshal came in then and told them, "I got in touch with your ship. It seems your Captain and your Mr. Cobb are already on their way to the Nightingale looking for you three. It shouldn't take them long to show up here. You girls need anything? I can get some ice packs for your hands or that shiner you got there, Mrs. Reynolds?"

River shook her head no to the offer and wondered what Mal was going to think of the Mrs. Reynolds thing. Her fake ident card listed her as River Reynolds. The Marshal had just assumed she was Mal's wife when he'd taken their statements earlier.

Tessa shook her head as well and said, "No thank you, we're fine."

Matt nodded and began to leave when Craig Henry called out angrily, "Ain't you gonna offer us anything, Marshal? Or are you just gonna pamper the devil women over there?"

"You keep quiet or I'll have you bound and gagged for the duration of your stay till your execution, Henry," Matt snapped then walked out.

It wasn't five minutes later that Mal and Jayne walked into the Marshal's office looking less than pleased. They had been by the saloon and spoken to the bartender who had been more than happy to share the events of the night with them and their girls' current whereabouts.

Matt looked up from his desk at the two men and sighed, "Reynolds and Cobb, right?" They nodded. "Your girls are in the back."

"Are they all right?" Jayne asked in that too quiet tone he'd had since they left the ship. It was worrying Mal worse now they'd found the girls.

"They're fine," Matt said, "A few bruises and cuts from the fight and you two's wives, River Reynolds and Tessa Cobb, busted their knuckles up a little but they're a sight better than the five men they took out. They did me a favor, though. I've been after the Henry gang for months, got warrants on them for several counts of rape and murder. Serves them right being done in by three little girls though I still ain't figured out how they accomplished it. You gotta pay a fine for them to get them released and then they're free to go."

"What'd you charge them with?" Mal asked. He did wonder when River had become his wife but he wasn't gonna argue the point right now.

"Disturbing the peace and destruction of private property," Matt answered. "Fine's 100 credits each."

Jayne got out his wallet and handed the Marshal his credit card. "I'll pay my wife's and half of Kaylee's."

"I'll get River's and Kaylee's other half," Mal said giving over his card as well. Once the fines were cleared the Marshal returned the cards to the men.

"Can we see them now?" Jayne asked. Matt nodded and stood up getting the key to the cells. They followed him into the back. The girls looked up when they entered and Tessa went straight to the bars where Jayne stood on the other side.

"Darlin, I'm so sorry. I know I didn't listen to you and you're probably angry," Tessa began but Jayne cut her off shaking his head.

"We'll talk about it when we get home," he said quietly, his expression unreadable.

Tessa realized then that he was livid and trying hard not to show it. Her da and her eldest brother Douglas had similar temperaments to her darlin husband and she had seen them this angry only once. It had been when that Russell girl had falsely accused her brother Justin of rape and almost got him hung for it just because she hadn't wanted her father to know she'd been sleeping with a slew of men and didn't know who had gotten her pregnant. Oddly enough Justin hadn't been one of the men that the girl had slept with but he'd turned her down and Douglas told Tessa that women like that were more dangerous than any man you'd come across. He'd wanted her hung for all the trouble she'd caused.

Jayne cleared his throat then pulling her from her troubled thoughts and asked, "Are you okay?"

"Yes," she replied in a small voice. She really didn't like it when he was upset with her. Things had been going so well between them and now she'd messed it up.

After they were released and their possessions returned to them the girls walked with Mal and Jayne back to the ship feeling thoroughly subdued. Upon boarding Serenity, Jayne immediately led Tessa to the infirmary and shut and locked the door behind them. Kaylee watched them go and looked fearfully at Mal.

"Capt'n, it was my fault. She didn't wanna go in but I made her. Can't you do something?" she pleaded.

Mal gave Kaylee a censuring look and shook his head. "She's his wife, Kaylee. It ain't our place to interfere. He ain't gonna hurt her but I conjure she's about to get a good talking to. And you, little witch," he said turning to look at River, "Since it seems you're 'my' wife now, you and I are gonna be having a talk too up in the bridge. Now."

River followed Mal toward the bridge without protest leaving Kaylee there in the bay with Simon and Zoe.

"But it wasn't their fault," Kaylee shook her head at the two of them.

"What's this about River being Mal's wife?" Zoe asked her.

"It was an accident," Kaylee explained. "I put Reynolds down as River's last name as a joke on her new ident card. The Marshal that arrested us just assumed she was Mal's wife and we didn't bother to correct him."

* * *

Up in the infirmary, Jayne sat Tessa down on the exam chair then pulled a tray over in front of her and took out two ice packs from the storage unit.

"Lay your hands flat on the tray," he instructed. She did and he placed the ice packs over her hands gently before pulling a stool over and sitting down across from her.

Tessa watched her husband with a feeling of guilt and dread knotting up her stomach. Yes, she thought, she definitely hated him being upset with her.

Jayne rubbed his face tiredly and pinched the bridge of his nose trying to think of what he wanted to say to her and how to put it without starting an argument. He was too tired to argue with her right now. He'd end up saying something he'd regret. Finally he sighed heavily and looked at her. She knew he was upset. He could see the wariness in her eyes watching him. He didn't want her to be afraid of him, though. Best get that out of the way first.

"I ain't gonna punish you, baby," he told her. "You're my wife and a grown woman, so I ain't gonna treat you like a child. I'm your husband not your father. I am angry, though.

She opened her mouth to speak but he held up a hand to stop her, "Let me finish." She shut her mouth and nodded. "I had some time to think while we were looking for you girls tonight. I thought you understood me when I told you to go to the market and come straight back, that I didn't want you going into saloons without me with you. I'm fair certain that you agreed to do that. But you didn't. I ain't gonna argue about it now because the damage has been done. And I can't tell you how relieved I am that you're all right aside from those bruises that I ain't happy about. What I need you to understand that apparently you didn't before is that when I tell you not to do something it's for a reason. I know all about Kaylee's part in what happened but that don't matter. You didn't have to stay. You could have gone back to the ship. But you didn't. You stayed and partied with the girls and I hear tell you three were having a grand ole time before those hun dans came in starting trouble. But that ain't the point. The point is, it all could have turned out differently and the what-ifs in that possibility scares the hell out of me, baby. Because if it had then you wouldn't be sitting here with me now. There are millions of bad men just like those tonight that live to prey on pretty girls like you, River and Kaylee. River might be a genius, government-trained assassin but even she can be taken down if someone manages to slip a drug in her drink or get a good shot in at the right moment. And you I don't doubt can hold your own in a fight. I know you told me your pa and big brothers taught you how to fight dirty and defend yourself but you couldn't have taken those men out on your own with just Kaylee as help if River hadn't been there or been taken out by one of them.

He paused a moment and leaned in to gently brush away the silent tears that had fallen onto her cheeks. He didn't mean to make her cry but he needed her to understand. Continuing in a softer tone he said, "Bao bei, don't cry. It breaks my heart to see you crying. I just need you to understand why when I tell you to do or not to do something that it's with your best interests at heart. You have to trust my judgment, baby. I'm your husband. I know you understand what that means. It might be old-fashioned of me and I know a lot of women would argue about it but the fact is that I'm a lot older than you and I know a lot more about life and what can happen in the big bad verse than you do. Do you understand what I'm saying?"

Tessa nodded, choked on a sob then moved the tray aside and threw herself into his arms, wrapping hers around his neck and burying her face there. "I know. I'm sorry, darlin. I'll listen to you from now on, Jayne. I promise," she swore fiercely. He settled her firmly on his lap and wrapped his arms tight around her kissing her temple and rubbing her back.

"You're the only wife I've got and I don't mean to ever have another so I might be a stubborn, unreasonable hun dan sometimes but it's just cause I wanna keep you around, baby," Jayne whispered to her. "I just want you safe, Tessa."

"I know," Tessa nodded and leaned back to look at him then took his mouth in a deep, thorough kiss. When it ended he gave her that tender smile he reserved just for her and she nearly fainted with relief. They were okay again. He'd had her worried there a moment or two.

"How about we get a shower and go to bed now, huh? I think I've had enough excitement for one day," he suggested. She smiled and nodded before getting up and following him to their bunk. And just to prove that he wasn't still mad at her they made love twice before falling asleep. Jayne didn't think he'd ever be too tired to make love to her.


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Have I mentioned how much I love Firefly fan reviewers? Y'all are the shiniest, really. I get the best reviews from you guys. Anyway, here's that Mal and River conversation you all were asking for. And yeah, I know Mal's being stubborn but hang in there with me. I've got big plans for our captain. Enjoy! :)**

* * *

_{Meanwhile on the bridge}_

Mal closed the door to the bridge and locked it behind him and River once she was inside. She turned to face him and he couldn't help but notice her reluctance to meet his eyes.

"Should I even bother with this talk when you already know what I'm gonna say?" he asked after a moment.

"I don't know if you don't," she whispered. "Your mind is conflicted."

"You're gorram right it's conflicted," he snapped and she flinched at his tone. "Look at me when I'm talking to you."

River's chocolate brown eyes met his sapphire blue ones and held his intense gaze steadily with a defiant tilt to her chin. After a moment she explained, "My assumed status as your spouse was the result of a joke Kaylee played on me with my identification card. It wasn't done intentionally."

He waved that off and began pacing back and forth in front of her, "I don't care about that. I'm upset about the bar brawl and the consequences it could have had. What the hell were you thinking, River? Do you even realize how lucky we are that that saloon didn't have cameras and surveillance in it? Or if that Marshal had thought to check your photo with any warrants, checked your ident card to see if it was fake or not? I know that Operative told the Alliance you ain't a threat anymore but that don't guarantee they won't still come after you, particularly if they see you fighting using skills they taught you? Ta ma de, River!'

Mal stopped and closed the distance between staring down into her face with anguished eyes. "Don't you know it would destroy me if anything happened to you? Do you even know how worried I was that we wouldn't get to you in time tonight or that those hun dans would have gotten you? Don't you know that I have nightmares near every night about you being taken from me?" he asked her in a hoarse broken voice. "In the war I lost my ma and everybody I grew up with on Shadow from the Alliance bombings. I lost my men in Serenity Valley and part of my soul with them. I had reconciled myself to being a man of no faith travelling the verse aimlessly and picking up jobs wherever I could, some of them mighty questionable, with my rag tag crew for the rest of my days. Then you came along. You know Shepherd Book's last words to me were that he didn't care what I believed in as long as I believed in you. You brought me back to life, River, and gave me hope, hell even happiness again. Whatever good's left of me is because of you. If I lost you it would break me, darlin."

Seeing him so vulnerable and raw like this broke River's heart. She reached up slowly and caressed his cheeks tenderly and whispered, "Mal, I didn't mean to worry you. No one will take me away from you. I won't let them. I didn't see the men coming tonight. The alcohol impaired my senses. I would have gotten us out before anything started if I had. I wasn't trying to show off or get us in trouble. I'm so sorry, bao bei. Forgive me. I would never intentionally cause you pain or worry."

Mal's hands came up to cover her own and he pulled them away giving each a kiss and frowning at the bruises on her knuckles. "We need to get some ice packs on these," he said gently inspecting them. Then he met her gaze again and took her cheek in hand to look at the bruise on her cheekbone where she'd been hit. An intense urge to kill the one responsible for hurting his darlin came over him and River gasped reading that thought.

"Yours?" she asked with uncertain hope in her voice. Then that hope was dashed as a flicker of panic passed in his eyes and he released her hands stepping back.

"River, I -," Mal began but she shook her head to stop him.

"You're not ready," River stated in a sad, resigned tone. "You put me on a pedestal; the Albatross, the witch, the Reader; but never just the woman. I want you to see me as just River, just the woman who would love you and you alone more than anyone else in the verse ever will. But you don't see me, not really. I thought you might have once. You told me before Miranda that you were staking your life and that of your crew on the assumption that I'm a person, actual and whole you said. But you didn't mean it. I don't know what else to do to try and make you see either. I'm not used to not knowing something.'

She stopped then, took a steadying breath and let it out then moved to her pilot seat and started up the ship, "I'll get us in the air now. We should be at Kerry in three days. We have a job there and Jayne wishes to introduce Tessa to his family."

Mal could hear the tears in her voice that she was trying to hold back. He damned himself for having caused them but the plain truth was that he wasn't ready. She was right about that. He turned and unlocked the door then and walked out leaving her alone. There was one thing she was wrong about. He did see the woman in her. That's what scared him, what made him have that gut reaction to panic; it was instinctual and what he was accustomed to do when something came up that terrified him. You run, get in the air and put as much distance between you and that which you're running from as fast as you can. But that wasn't gonna solve the problem this time and he didn't want to run from her. Hell, it'd taken all he could do not to kiss her senseless in there. And she was starting to make too much sense too. You can't just go telling a man you could love him like that and offer up everything he's ever dreamed of and wanted on a silver platter and not expect him to panic a little, especially a man like himself who had gotten used to disappointment and things going bad. He couldn't afford to take the risk this time. If he gave his all to that girl and it didn't work out then Jayne'd have to shoot him, put him down like a lame horse, because he wouldn't be much good to anybody after that. But River didn't know that and he didn't know how to explain it.

* * *

Early the next morning Tessa woke up and after disengaging herself from her husband's tight embrace made her way to the galley to start breakfast. She did not expect to find River bawling her eyes out on the couch when she came in but that's exactly what happened.

"River, what happened?" she asked gently as she sat down beside her and put a comforting hand on the other girl's back.

"He doesn't see me," River sobbed helplessly. She sat with her knees in her chest and her head buried between them, her body shaking with the force of her sobs. She'd been like that since the night before after setting Serenity on course and leaving the bridge. The tears just wouldn't stop once she started.

"You mean Mal?" Tessa wondered and River gave a jerking nod in reply. "I see. Well, he always was a bit dense when it came to women. I didn't remember him right off when I first got here but I do recall he spent a while with us a few times on leave during the war and that one of my cousins was sweet on him. Abigail practically had to knock him over the head and drag him off like the cavemen used to do to their women on the Earth-That-Was in order to get him to notice her. It didn't work out, of course. He went back off to fighting and she ended up marrying Cole Matthews and moving to a neighboring moon. I was ten years old then. So were you too I guess."

"Did he love her?" River asked looking at her now. She didn't like the idea that Mal had loved another woman. Inara was competition enough. She didn't need more.

"No, I don't think he did," Tessa shook her head thoughtfully. "Abigail was – how do I put it – not really interested in a long term relationship with him and he didn't want one with her. It was more a roll-in-the-hay than a courtship."

"Ah, they lusted for each other," River ventured and Tessa nodded. "I can live with that. He's had a lot of experience with women. I know that already. Do you find it as intimidating as I do? I mean, if Mal's experienced with women then Jayne's an expert."

"I can't say I'm thrilled about knowing he's been with other women but that was before me and I won't hold it against him. Besides, I'm the one who gets to reap the benefits of his vast knowledge and skill from now until the day I die," she explained with a pleased smile thinking about her darlin husband. "Now then, what to do about your predicament, well we'll just have to make Malcolm Reynolds to see you the way you want him to. It may be difficult since he's turned out to so thick-headed about the business but it can be done. We simply won't give up. And the easiest way to make a man come to his senses is with competition. I don't know if it works in all cases. I never had to employ the technique myself because I didn't court anyone before Jayne but all my sisters and cousins swore by it. Jayne tells me he has some fine looking younger brothers and nephews too on Kerry. I'm sure one of them will do to make Mal jealous and bring him about to your way of thinking. You have to be careful though and make sure the other fella knows what's really going on. You wouldn't want to hurt anyone's feelings or lead them on falsely. And Jayne and I will help too."

"You really think it might work?" River asked hopefully as she dried up her tears. Tessa gave her a Cheshire cat-like grin and nodded.

"We'll bring your darlin captain around, River girl. I guarantee it," she assured her. "Now, how would you like to learn to make blueberry pancakes?"

* * *

Later on that day Tessa took Jayne aside to tell him about her and River's plan. He was less than optimistic about it.

"Baby, I've been on the man's crew nearly three years now. He's as stubborn as they come. If he's dead set on he and River not being together then you ain't gonna change his mind," Jayne warned gently. "I'll talk to my little brothers and nephews about it and see if one of 'em's willing but you're playing a dangerous game here. What if Mal likes the idea of her moving on to someone else?"

"I've seen the way he looks at her. So have you," Tessa argued. "I don't usually approve of interfering like this and it isn't a game. They'd be so happy together, Jayne. He's just being a jackass."

Jayne chuckled and pulled her into his arms then kissed the pout off her lips. "Okay, honey, we'll try and see. But you can't say I didn't warn you if it don't work," he said.

"Good, so now you can go and talk to Mal about why he's been acting so odd today and avoiding River," Tessa told him giving him a push toward the cargo bay. "He's been pacing the catwalks for the past two hours. It isn't healthy for a man to brood that much."

"But baby, I just finished my chores and so did you. I thought we'd have some time together, you know – alone," Jayne protested pulling her back to him and kissing her deeply. She wound her arms around his neck and kissed back moaning into his mouth. He hoisted her up a second later with a wicked grin and wrapped her legs around his waist then carried her to their bunk for some honeymoon time. He'd talk to Mal later.


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: As always, I own nothing. - Enjoy :)**

* * *

As it turns out, it was Zoe that found Mal on the top catwalk while Jayne and Tessa were enjoying their 'honeymoon time'. The Captain gave his first mate a wary glance and set his jaw stubbornly staring resolutely into the cargo bay.

"I don't wanna talk about it, Zo," Mal said firmly.

"I completely understand, sir," Zoe nodded keeping her voice calm and her expression as stoic as ever as she took a spot next to him and braced her hands on the railing. "I just came up here to get away from listening to Jayne enjoying his newlywed status."

"Again?" Mal asked surprised. She nodded. "Don't they need to come up for air sometime or something?"

"Oh, I don't know, sir," she smiled remembering. "I remember when Wash and I got married we couldn't get enough of each other. Hell, it was like that till he died so maybe there won't be any slowing down for Jayne and Tessa either. I sure do miss my mister. I won't ever find another like my baby."

"How are you doing with that? You ain't talked about him in a while and we've all been sort of respecting your wishes there and not mentioning him too much," Mal asked in concern.

"Some days are worse than others, and some are okay," Zoe admitted. "It hadn't been easy seeing another couple on board so in love as me and Wash were but I'm getting through it. I'm happy for them."

"Yeah well, Kaylee and the Doc can make anybody nauseas," Mal muttered in agreement. She gave him a funny look then and laughed shaking her head with disbelief. "What?"

"I wasn't talking about them. I meant Jayne and Tessa," she told him. "I ain't sure if Kaylee and Simon are gonna reach that level me and my mister were at but I know Jayne and Tessa have. You've seen the way they look at each other. Jayne – well he's a whole other person when he's around her. Just watch them sometime when they don't think anybody's looking. If they ain't in love then I'm the Queen of Londinium. Don't know if they've said the words to each other yet but the feelings are there. I saw the man smile the other day, Mal, actually smile and not just a smirk or that evil leer he gets sometimes. He laughed at something that wasn't a lewd joke or a tussle. She does for him what Wash did for me. And – she does for him what River does for you."

"Now hold on a minute," Mal began but Zoe held a hand up to stop him.

"I know you don't wanna discuss it but we're gonna, - sir," Zoe told him firmly. "I'm told that she was crying her eyes out this morning because of whatever you talked about last night. I don't believe for a second it was all about that brawl they got into at the Nightingale either. You two have been skirting around each other for months now but most noticeably in the past few days. So what exactly is going on and what is the problem?"

Mal groaned in frustration and shook his head before he said quietly, "I'm afraid I might be in love with her."

"And that's a bad thing?" Zoe asked confused.

"She's so young," he explained. Off her raised brow he rolled his eyes and nodded, "Yeah, I know that she and Tessa are the same age but I'm not Jayne. And it's not just the age thing. She said I've put her on a pedestal of sorts, that I can't see the woman. The problem is that I do see her and it makes me want things that I don't deserve, things the verse won't let me have. Even now, Zoe, if anything happened to her it would gut me. If I give in, though, and give my all to her as she's offering to do for me and then I lost her there'd be nothing left of me. If I lost her after that, Zoe, she'd have to take me with her. I can't risk it. I won't. There's barely enough of me now."

"I've never known you to be a coward before, sir," Zoe told him frankly. He glared sharply at her but she didn't back down. "You're already counting on losing her before you've even got her. How do you know you two won't live till you're old and grey in rocking chairs with grandkids all around you? You don't. We don't know what the future will hold, not even River can see that far ahead. And speaking as someone who has lost the love of their life, yes it hurts like a hell you've never felt before but it was worth it to love him, to have him as long as I did. I don't regret a moment I spent with him. The only regret I have is that we didn't have more time together, that we didn't make a baby together. It's harder to be the one who gets left behind, that's a fact. But at least I can say I knew a love like that and someone loved me just as much. Life is fragile and precious. It can get cut short faster than you can blink. So you should grab that happiness and love where and when you can. You say you're afraid that you'll lose her one day. You might lose her anyway. Do you really want to risk that happening without ever having shown her how much you love her, never having kissed her or held her or made love to her, never slept with her safe in your arms at night and waking next to her in the morning? I'd give anything to have Wash back with me. You think about that next time you get afraid of your feelings, Mal."

She walked away then and left him there with a lot to consider. In fact he was still there but sitting now dangling his legs over the edge when Jayne found him an hour later. The merc sat down next to him and peered down into the hold following Mal's gaze.

"What are we looking at?" Jayne asked.

"I'm trying to see the future," Mal deadpanned sarcastically. The bigger man snorted and shook his head.

"You're not funny, you know," he told him.

"Not today, no," Mal agreed. "What do you want? I thought you and Tessa were having 'honeymoon time'."

"We finished that, for now anyway, 'bout half an hour ago. She's in the galley making dinner now," Jayne explained. "I gotta tell ya, being married is way underrated. I ain't ever been this happy before in my life."

"None of us could tell," Mal stated giving the merc a sarcastic look. Jayne just grinned. That made Mal glare. "Gorram, Jayne, you could at least act like your usual self when she ain't around. You're starting to worry me with all this nice, friendly talk and such. You hadn't made fun of the Doc or told a crude joke in days."

"You think it's an act?" Jayne asked puzzled. At Mal's pointed look he shook his head and sighed. "I did a lot of thinking after what happened on Haven to Book and the others and what we found on Miranda and after on Mr. Universe's moon. I took a look back at the man I had become and I didn't like what I saw. I can't change my whole personality overnight or erase the things I did in the past and to tell the truth there ain't a lot that I would change because they taught me some valuable lessons I ain't likely to forget and those lessons were hard earned but they're the reason I'm still alive now. Men in my line of work don't usually live that long. Then I realized recently that I had just turned forty and hadn't really anything to show for it except my weapons collection and a bunch of pin-ups on the wall of my bunk. The best thing I've done is marry that girl in there. If I act different than you're used to it's because I'm trying to be the man she deserves as her husband. I can't say I won't still act like a crude hun dan sometimes because like I said, I can't change my whole personality, but as long as it don't upset my wife then I don't really care what other people think of me."

Mal was quiet a moment thinking that over then nodded slowly. "I guess that makes sense," he admitted. Then he looked back over at Jayne. "You never did say what you came up here for."

"Tessa's mad at you for making River cry," he told him. "But I don't want you to worry. Tessa and I talked it out and we're gonna set Moonbrain up with one of my little brothers or nephews when we get to Kerry. There's a few of them that are good-looking boys. I'm sure one will do for River to get her mind off you. And that'll solve your problem. She won't be stuck on you anymore and things'll go back the way they were. Ain't that what you wanted?'

Jayne got up and gave Mal a hard pat on the back. "I don't want you to worry about a thing, Capt'n. Tessa and I are gonna take care of it. Everything will be back to normal soon enough," he assured Mal before walking away leaving a shocked and horrified captain behind him.

* * *

Tessa smiled at her husband when he came up behind her in the galley and slipped his arms around her kissing the side of her neck. "Well?" she asked. He nodded and sighed letting her go and turning to lean back against the counter beside her.

"I did it but I'm telling you, baby, we'd be better off staying out of it. It don't concern us anyhow. I don't like interfering in other people's business," Jayne protested quietly. "Just because you went and decided to make friends with Moonbrain don't mean we gotta get involved in her and Mal's relationship or lack thereof. I ain't all that happy with you two being friends anyway."

"Well, she is my friend and it upsets me to see her upset," Tessa told him. He mumbled something unintelligible under his breath and she narrowed her eyes at him while raising a brow. "Are we gonna argue, Cobb?"

"No," he growled out. "I agreed to it and I guess we can't back out now. But we ain't making a habit of this. It's just this once and that's only because it's important to you."

She gave him a beaming smile and stood on her tiptoes to kiss his mouth. "Thank you, darlin."

Jayne nodded and watched her finishing up the cooking and setting the plates out. She'd brought her portable music player from their bunk up to the galley so she could listen to it while she cooked and cleaned. It was playing some old Earth-that-was music. He liked it, some of them he recognized from songs passed down through generations that he played on his guitar sometimes. One came on he'd never heard before but he liked it immediately when he heard the soft picking of the mandolin in it. Quickly checking to make sure no one else was around he grabbed hold of Tessa and pulled her into his arms for a slow dance.

She smiled up at him surprised but happy and moved along with him to the rhythm of the song, holding each other close. Jayne didn't know it but it happened to be one of her favorite songs. He bent his head to rest against hers and closed his eyes enjoying the feel of her in his arms and the scent of her hair and the sound of the music. She smiled when she felt him press a soft kiss to her temple and moved her hand on his shoulder around his neck to let her fingers play with the hair at the nape of his neck and closed her eyes as well. She began whispering the words to him and he tightened his arm around her and his other hand closed around hers resting against his chest he brought up to kiss gently before returning it to its spot.

Yeah, Jayne thought, this marriage business was definitely overrated. The sex was phenomenal and all too but he also loved being able just to hold her sometimes. And gorram, she had the sweetest voice singing to him like that, all soft and tender in his ear. No one had ever made him feel like she did and he just knew no one ever would again either. He was in awe of the trust and faith she put in him and when she smiled at him it made him feel like he could take on the Alliance and all the verse and win. There wasn't anything he wouldn't do to make his baby happy, to make her feel the way she did for him.

Tessa leaned back to smile at him when the song ended but he just kissed her tenderly and kept them dancing on into next one. She loved this side of him, the side only she got to see and experience. The others would be amazed if they knew how gentle and loving he could be when he wanted to. The way he held her, kissed her, made love to her, and now danced with her made Tessa feel like the most precious person in the whole verse. She hoped she made him feel that way too.

The couple continued their slow-dancing blissfully unaware that they were now had an audience in the form of their captain who stood leaning against the doorway. Mal watched them there in a mix of shock and awe; shock that Jayne was actually slow-dancing with someone and awe that this one girl could bring that out in the crude, hard mean hun dan he'd known going on three years. Zoe was right. They were in love, just like she and Wash had been. Maybe it might be worth the risk to have what they did. He was sure that he and River would. If they took it to that step in their relationship it would be like that for them. When he remembered what Jayne had told him earlier and the possibility registered that he might lose her to someone else made his chest ache painfully. That was new. Turning away from the dancing couple and going toward his bunk he realized that he had some decision making to do and he needed to do it now.

* * *

***The songs Jayne and Tessa are dancing to are 1st, _These Are The Days _by Van Morrison, and 2nd, _This Year's Love _by David Gray. **


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: Well, we're finally gonna meet Jayne's family. The visit to Kerry to should cover the next few chapters at least. The Mal/River situation will be resolved before they leave. I promise. At the bottom of the page I've listed Jayne's family members and their ages for all of you. - Disclaimer: I own nothing. Enjoy :)**

* * *

Today was the day they were going to land on Kerry and meet Jayne's family. The merc watched his wife running around the galley getting together baked goods and the presents they'd gotten for his family into baskets. She had been near frantic with worry that she wasn't going to make a good impression on his kin ever since it hit her they were gonna be there soon a few days ago. Since then she'd been cooking up a storm and cleaning the ship spotless enlisting everyone's help in case his family wanted to come on board and have a look around. She was worried sick that the Cobb's weren't going to like her and it puzzled Jayne to no end just why she was concerned that 'they' wouldn't like 'her'. He kinda thought it was gonna be the other way around. He knew his family. They could be a rough bunch but they were good people too; hard-working farmers and ranchers all of them. His ma, he told Tessa, was gonna adore her.

"Baby, you've got enough pies and baked goods there to feed an army," Jayne told her putting her running around to stop by taking hold of her arms and making her face him. "Tessa, they're gonna love you. Stop worrying yourself about it."

"But what if they think I'm not good enough for you? I mean, we didn't exactly get married the usual way. What if they think badly of me for joining the marriage contracting service?" Tessa argued frowning. Jayne shook his head and pulled her into his arms letting her hide against his chest.

"They won't," he assured her firmly. "I already told my ma about it and she approved of the whole thing, said it was the best way to make sure I married a good girl and not some whore. Well, she used the word 'trollop' but Ma's kinda strict about foul language. I'm sure she already let the rest of them know too and they're not gonna care. If anything, they're gonna be jealous because I got such a beautiful wife. If anybody does give you any trouble then you tell me and I'll set them straight. Dong ma?"

She nodded and lifted her head to look him. "You're too good to me, ai ren."

"Well, it goes both ways. You're good to me and I'm good to you," Jayne smiled down at her. "We take care of each other. My Pa said that's what makes marriage work, the give and take. Oh, and laughter. He said you gotta be able to laugh together."

Tessa grinned up at him and nodded, "I think I would have liked your pa. Do you miss him?"

"I didn't use to but since I've gotten a little older I think about him a lot. We had a big falling out before I left home. I wanted to travel and see what was out there in verse for me and he didn't want me to. We fought about it and I packed my stuff and left. That was the last time I saw him before he died a few years later," Jayne explained. "I wasn't really needed there, though. I've got four brothers, two sisters and all of them are grown, married and have their own kids except for my youngest brother Mattie who's nineteen now. He's got the damp lung but I already told you about that."

"I talked to Simon about taking a look at him and seeing if there's anything he can do for Mattie," Tessa told him quietly. "Was that all right?"

"Yeah, why wouldn't it be?" he asked.

"You and Simon don't really get along that well so I just wondered if you minded," she shrugged. He shook his head and bent to kiss her before turning and looking at the baskets full of goodies on the table.

"I don't know how the hell we're gonna fit all this in the mule, bao bei," Jayne told her.

"Oh no, they're sending a couple of wagons for all of us. River talked to your sister Beth about it yesterday when she waved to ask us when we're gonna be there," Tessa explained. "I don't know if Mal gonna want to stay on the ship at night, though. He said we'd have a few days here to visit before we have the job on the other side of Kerry to tend to."

Mal walked in then and frowned at all the baskets on the table. "Are we making any charitable donations I should know about?" he asked them.

"No, they're for Jayne's family. You don't go visiting without bringing something," Tessa explained as if it were obvious. "There're so many because well, I want to make a good impression and we have to make up for Jayne being away so many years."

"We're landing in an hour," Mal said before walking out. The newlyweds looked at each other and shared a frown at the Captain's behavior. He'd been acting odd since he and Jayne had talked about River a few days ago right after the 'saloon incident' on Athens. He was curt and a bit sullen to everybody, brooding all the time and studying River when she was nearby like he was trying to figure something out but just couldn't quite get a handle on it.

"Did you get a chance to wave your brothers about River?" Tessa asked her husband once she was sure Mal was gone.

"I talked to Noah about it. He said that the only one that's single and would agree to do it is my brother Craig's son Dean. He's twenty and wilder than I was at that age from what Noah told me. He said that he'd talk it over with him and let us know when we get there," Jayne explained in a somewhat reluctant tone. He'd half-hoped she'd forgotten about the plan.

"Good," she nodded. "River's on board too. I talked to her about it and she said that she has to do 'something' to get the Capt'n's attention short of tying him up and having her way with him."

"That might be simpler," Jayne muttered and his wife glared at him in warning. "I just don't like playing games like this is all, baby. Someone always gets hurt. And I cannot stress enough that it ain't any of our business."

"You agreed, Jayne," she reminded him and he growled with frustration but nodded anyway. "Besides, if River and Dean both know what they're getting into and that this is just to spur Mal into action then how could they get hurt? You think Dean might take an actual liking to her?"

"I don't know the boy but I doubt River's gonna be his type if he was anything like I was," Jayne grimaced thinking of how he'd been at twenty. He had been wild, reckless, stubborn and not caring about anyone but himself. Come to think of it, he'd still been like that until he married Tessa. Well, except for reckless; he'd learn the hard way to be cautious about things over the years. Still, he didn't really understand what a relation of his would see in River. None of them knew she was a little killer woman. They'd just look at her and see the Core bred girl pilot. Well, they'd just have to see what happens.

* * *

An hour later Serenity landed on Kerry and its Captain and crew opened the bay doors to reveal two men that resembled Jayne closely waiting on them next to two large wagons. Jayne grinned and took Tessa's hand leading her over to them.

"Jayne, you sorry pi gu, you didn't tell us she was this pretty," Craig, the oldest of his younger brothers, told him grinning. He gave Tessa a friendly nod. "I'm Craig, darlin, and this is Noah."

"It's a pleasure to meet you both," Tessa replied a bit shyly. Both men were around Jayne's height but not quite as tall with the same Cobb blue eyes and no-nonsense look about them.

"She's shy," Jayne explained tucking her closer to his side. The men nodded understanding. "Ma sent you two huh? Oh and don't call my wife 'darlin'. I just broke the Capt'n from doing it."

"Hell, Jayne, I didn't mean anything by it," Craig waved him off. "And yeah, she did. Oh and Dean said that he'd help you out with your plan. He's rounding up some strays in the west pasture right now with Billie, Luke and Charlie but they'll be along after while."

"Fine then, let me introduce y'all to the rest of the crew," Jayne waved Mal and the others over and made the introductions between them and his brothers. He saw Craig and Noah exchange a concerned frown when he pointed out River and he wondered about it but now wasn't the time to ask.

After they got everybody, and those baskets and their luggage, loaded onto the wagons and Mal locked up the ship, they started off toward Cobb Croft. It had been in their family going on a hundred and fifty years now, covered a hundred-thousand acres of rich farmland and arable pasture and everyone in their family until Jayne moved off had been born, lived and died there. The main house was huge; had three floors and a basement and cellar, ten bedrooms and ten and a half bathrooms, a living room, kitchen, dining room, parlor, study, laundry room, and sun room. The crew were stunned when they saw it coming up the driveway lined with large oak trees. They had assumed Jayne came from a poor family by the way he acted but evidently they had been wrong.

"Do you all live here?" Kaylee asked Noah as they pulled up the house.

"Nah, this is the main house. We grew up here but after we got married and started having kids we all built our own houses, nowhere near as big as this one, though," he explained. "My wife Penny and I and our kids live over that hill over there where that grove of apple trees stands. Craig and Julia and their kids live over on the north side where the creek comes out from the mountain. Beth and her husband Cole and their young'uns live in town. We didn't pass by their place, though. They live on the other side of town. Cole's a lawyer. Their boy Luke, he's seventeen like Craig's twin girls Billie and Charlie, comes to help out on the place with us, though. He's a good hand with horses. Seth and his wife Karen and their kids live in town too, next door from Beth and Cole. Karen's pa owned and ran the general store before he passed and he didn't leave any children behind but Karen so she and Seth took it over and they run it now. Josie and her husband Robert live here, though, over yonder on the south side in the valley. Robert's our chief farmer, next to Ma that is. The only one that still lives here in the main house with Ma though is Mattie. He's the youngest of us siblings, just turned nineteen."

"How many kids do you have?" Simon asked his mind boggling at all the Cobb's at the place. One Jayne was often too many for him to handle, let alone this many.

"Two, my daughter Sam is thirteen and my son Jesse is eleven," Noah answered. "Craig over there's got five though; Dean who's twenty, the twin girls Billie and Charlie at seventeen, another boy Eli who's fifteen and then his youngest boy Josh who's twelve. Then Beth and Cole have three; their boy Luke that I just told Miss Kaylee about, and their girls Sarah who's fifteen and Laura who's twelve. Seth and Karen have three kids; Jacob's six and the twin girls Megan and Hannah are two. And then Josie and Robert have three too; Damon's seven, Lydia's five and Kenneth is two. I don't think anybody's expecting right now unless Jayne and my new sister in law have something to announce."

"No, we ain't expecting yet," Jayne shook his head at his brother as they came to a stop in front of the house.

"That makes thirty Cobb's, counting Jayne and Tessa," Simon whispered to himself in shock after doing the math in his head. Jayne heard him and gave him an evil grin before jumping down and turning to help Tessa off the wagon.

Radiant Cobb, or Ma, came running out of the house when she heard them pull up. The first thing the robust, healthy woman did was embrace Jayne and Tessa in a bear hug. She reminded River of the Amazon women from the Earth-that-was mythology; tall, dark blonde hair that was graying now but attractive with sparkling grey eyes. Apparently Jayne and his siblings had gotten the Cobb blue from their father.

"I'm so glad y'all made it," Ma Cobb told them. Then she let go of Jayne and turned to Tessa. "Now then, let's have a look at my new daughter. I swear, Jayne didn't tell me you were so beautiful, honey."

"She brought you about a dozen baskets of goodies, Ma," Jayne said proudly as he and the other men unloaded their things, "Made it all herself."

"Well, aren't you just an angel," Ma hugged Tessa again and then turned to look at the others. "Which one of you is River? My grandson Dean said when you got here I was to send you out to him and his sisters and cousin. Can you ride a horse, honey?"

River nodded and smiled widely. She hadn't been allowed to go riding in years. She had a dapple gray mare named Seraphina when she was little but her father sold it when she left for the Academy.

"Well then," Ma continued, "You go on over to the stables and tell Eli to pick you out one and get it saddled then head over to the west pasture. It's that way."

Ma pointed in the direction and River nodded then walked off toward the stables ignoring the way Mal had tensed up and Simon's objections. Noah gave Simon a firm pat on the back and smiled.

"She'll be fine, Doc," Noah assured him. "Eli'll probably put her on Maybelle. She's a gentle bay mare and she'll lead your sister in the right direction to catch up with the others."

"You know," Tessa mused aloud, "I wondered why River wore jeans today instead of a dress. Do you think she knew she'd be riding?"

"Probably," Jayne agreed then made the introductions for everybody before turning back to his mother. "Ma, where's Mattie?"

"He's not feeling well today. He's upstairs taking a nap," Ma explained, her voice losing it's pleasant sound in exchange for a sad tone. "He's been looking forward to your visit, though. Now, y'all get all this inside and Jayne, you know where your room is that you and Tessa will be staying. Just put everybody else in the others. Miss Kaylee and the Doc here will have separate rooms. I don't mean no offense on either of ya but you ain't married, and I don't allow that kind of nonsense under my roof."

"That's fine, Mrs. Cobb, we understand," Kaylee nodded giving the older woman a beaming smile. She reminded her of her own mother back home on Harvest.

"It'll be easier if everybody just calls me Ma, honey," she told them. "Tessa, you, Kaylee and Zoe come on with me to the kitchen and we'll get these goodie baskets sorted out. Everyone else is gonna be here tonight for dinner and tomorrow we're having a big get-together with friends from town and the neighboring farms to welcome Jayne home and as celebration to you and him getting hitched, Tessa. I never thought I'd see the day that my Jayne got married. You just don't know how happy that makes me."

Tessa was a bit overwhelmed by her mother in law but she was relieved too. She knew how highly Jayne valued his mother's opinion on things. Now as long as the rest of them didn't find fault with her it would all be all right. She met her husband's gaze briefly while Ma led her and the other women into the house and he gave her a wink and smiled making her blush and smile back. Ma caught it and smiled to herself. Yes, she was very happy about the choice her boy had made.

* * *

**THE COBB FAMILY (Jayne is the oldest of the siblings and 40 yrs old; Tessa is 18 as previously stated in the story)**

**Radiant 'Ma' Cobb (57): Jayne was born when she was seventeen; she married at sixteen.  
**

**Jake Cobb (deceased): Jayne's father**

**Craig Cobb (38), his wife Julia (38); their son Dean (20); twin daughters Billie and Charlie (17); son Eli (15); and son Josh (12)**

**Beth Cobb-Whitaker (36), her husband Cole Whitaker (42); their son Luke (17); daughter Sarah (15); and daughter Laura (12)**

**Noah Cobb (33), his wife Penny (33); their daughter Sam (13); and son Jesse (11)**

**Seth Cobb (29), his wife Karen (27); their son Jacob (6); twin daughters Megan and Hannah (2)**

**Josie Cobb-Ryland (25), her husband Robert Ryland (34); their son Damon (7); daughter Lydia (5); and son Kenneth (2)**

**Mattie Cobb (19)**


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: Apologies on the late update. One of my dogs died recently and I haven't felt like writing anything.****/ DISCLAIMER: I own nothing.**

* * *

River brought the pretty bay mare Maybelle to a halt when they exited the woodland path and came upon the pasture where she was told Dean and the others were. She had tried to get a look inside Craig and Noah's thoughts earlier about Dean to get a picture of what he looked like but she hadn't been able to. Her Reader abilities had been unclear today except that she knew some form of horse riding would be required and the name (Dean) of the one who agreed to help her get Mal.

It was a beautiful country, she had to admit that even she had been surprised that Jayne had come from such a lovely place and people. The years he spent away from home must have changed and shaped him into the man he was now. But Jayne was Tessa's concern and Mal was hers. Hearing other horses and what sounded like cattle coming from her left she turned the horse and rode in their direction. Not two minutes later did she find them, two tall young men and two young women were on horses rounding up about two dozen cows there and herding them in her direction. One of the men broke off seeing her and rode over with a bright, quite attractive smile on his angelic features. He was Dean, she realized suddenly. Well, Tessa had warned her that he was good looking. He was nearly as tall as Jayne, well built and lean, with sandy blond hair and clear, sapphire blue eyes lighter in color than Jayne and his brothers. And he wasn't too pretty either. He reminded her of Mal that way, rugged but neat at the same time.

Leaning forward on his saddle horn Dean gave her a quick once-over and smiled again, "You must be River. My Aunt Beth didn't tell me you were this pretty. Maybe I oughta give that captain of yours some competition for real. I'm Dean Cobb, by the way."

"River Tam, and while I appreciate the complement it is Mal that I want, only Mal," she said firmly but politely. He gave her a slow, thoughtful nod then shrugged.

"Well, whatever you like, darlin. I don't have a girl at present so there won't be any jealous females after you for our playacting. We do need to discuss the rules, though," he told her.

"Rules?" she frowned. Tessa hadn't said anything about rules.

"For physical stuff like holding hands and kissing and such," Dean explained. "You wanna make him jealous and see you as a woman then you gotta behave like a woman does with a man she likes. Now, I don't fancy being kicked or slapped if I take your hand or put my arm around you or give you a kiss, all in his presence of course because he has to see it or it's a waste of time, so you need to tell me what's off limits first."

"I hadn't given it much thought," River admitted. "I've never been kissed before. I wanted Mal to be the first one to do that. But he's being stubborn."

"You're eighteen and ain't been kissed yet?" he asked shocked. Taking another look at her didn't help him understand it any better. She was a bit skinnier than he usually went for but he loved her brown eyes and dark hair. She had a pretty mouth too and nice long legs, graceful looking.

"I didn't have much opportunity where I went to school. Social activities weren't part of the curriculum," River said quietly avoiding his gaze with a blush on her cheeks.

"I wasn't making fun of ya, darlin," Dean assured her gently. She met his gaze again. "Are you dead set on this Mal fella being the first one to kiss you? Because there's all kinds of kisses. The one he gives you when we get around to landing him for ya will likely mean a lot more to you than any that I would. We could likely do an okay job with just the hand-holding and hugging but if you really wanna make him jealous enough to act then kissing another man is the best way."

"Won't it look odd to go straight into that, though? We just met each other. He will know something isn't right," River pointed out. He nodded.

"No, you're right it wouldn't be right away. Y'all are gonna be here a few days from what my pa told me," he admitted. "How about you follow my lead and if I start doing anything you don't like then just take me to the side alone and tell me. But you start slapping me or something and he'll get suspicious."

"That sounds reasonable," River nodded. "We are in agreement."

"Darlin, you gotta stop being so formal with me. We're pretend sweethearts now," Dean grinned at her then turned to look at the others riding over to them. "River, this is Luke and my two sisters Charlie and Billie. Their real names are Charlotte and Elizabeth but nobody calls them that but Mama when she's mad at them. Y'all, this is River Tam. She's gonna be my girl for the next few days or until I make her Capt'n Reynolds jealous enough to take her for himself."

River smiled politely at them as Dean introduced her to them. Luke looked like his father Noah, same Cobb blue eyes and brown hair. He and Dean had similar builds but he was just a bit shorter than Dean. Charlie and Billie were identical twins and both beautiful girls with long braided dark blond hair like Ma Cobb's and blue eyes like Dean's. They were taller than River and Tessa, and built a bit like Kaylee was. She liked all of them right away. They were good people. It still amazed her that they were Jayne's family.

* * *

When River returned to the main house with Dean and the others, she saw Mal and Jayne standing at the corral with Craig and Noah watching someone breaking in a horse. Mal turned and met her gaze when they rode up then she saw him glance at Dean riding close beside her and his whole body tensed. The other men must have noticed it too because they turned to look at the young people coming in as well.

Mal watched as who he assumed was this Dean boy dismount and then 'help' River down from her horse and disliked him immediately. He was too good-looking and too Cobb-like to have his hands or any of his person anywhere near River. River was his, gorram it, even if he couldn't admit it out loud or to her yet. And where did she get off letting that boy put his hands on her waist like that? She'd have punched anyone else for doing it. He wasn't aware he was glaring murderous daggers at the boy as they led the horses into the stable until he heard Jayne chuckle beside him and glanced over at the merc.

"You should see your face, Mal," Jayne told him in an amused tone. "You'd think the boy was the devil himself come to take her away or something the way you were glaring at him. By the way, you might wanna take your hand off your gun. It's making my brother anxious that you might shoot his son."

Mal looked down and sure enough his hand was resting on the butt of his pistol in the holster. Huh, that was odd. He didn't remember doing that. Removing his hand he gave Craig a curt nod then turned back to look at Eli breaking in the horse. He didn't even look when he felt River come up beside him with Dean, Charlie, Billie and Luke a few moments later.

"Who is that?" River asked pointing to the young man on the bronco. Dean grinned beside her and inched closer to her resting his arms on the rails so theirs were touching.

"That' s my brother Eli," he told her. "There's me, Billie, Charlie, Eli and Josh."

"Can you do that as well?" she asked him.

"Sure, we all can. That horse there is Eli's though. He bred her and raised her and now he has to break her in. She's been a wild one to tame, though. She's thrown him twice and the second time he broke two ribs and a wrist 'cause she threw him clear into the fence over there," he explained.

"It's that dangerous?" River asked intrigued.

Mal knew that tone and shook his head not looking at her, "Don't get any ideas, Albatross. You ain't getting on no wild horse."

"You're not my father and we aren't on your ship right now, Mal. I will do as I please," River told him firmly, angry that he wasn't even looking at her.

"They're not all as wild as Vixen there, Capt'n Reynolds," Dean pointed out coming to River's aide. "I could find her a little mare to break in that wouldn't hurt her. Charlie and Billie are girls and they're the best bronc busters we've got. Pa says it's something about women's hips and legs being stronger than a man's makes them have better balance at riding." Then Dean grinned wickedly and gave Mal who had turned to look at him an evil smirk that reminded Mal way too much of Jayne before adding, "And you know, I didn't understand what all he meant by that until a few years ago but I have to agree with him now. I'm sure the little darlin here can ride just as well as any woman. Hell, we might get my new aunt Tessa to take a turn. What do you think, Uncle Jayne?"

"You leave my wife out of it, son," Jayne warned him sternly.

"And what I do is none of your concern, Mal," River said to Mal who was still glaring at Dean. "I think I'd like to try it."

"Well, you won't be trying it today," Craig informed her interrupting them all. "It's getting toward dinner and Ma's gonna skin us all if we're late. Dean, Charlie, Billie, and Luke need to go get cleaned up and changed and y'all help your mama if she needs it coming over from the house with whatever she's cooked. I gotta get Eli off this horse and send him to get changed too. Miss River can take her hand at breaking a horse tomorrow. Dean's gotta pick out a horse for her anyway."

"All right, Pa," Dean nodded then looked down at River. He tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear and smiled gently at her. "I'll get you a good one to break in tomorrow, darlin."

"I'll see you at dinner tonight?" River asked him knowing Mal was listening behind her.

"Yeah, I'll be there," he grinned glad she was catching on and leaned down to whisper in her ear but kept it loud enough so Mal could hear him too and said, "Maybe we could take a walk by the creek afterward. The fireflies are pretty this time of year and it's supposed to be a full moon. You know, just you and me and moonlight?"

River blushed involuntarily at the implication and gave him a brief nod that he grinned at before he took one of her hands and gallantly kissed it before walking away to join his sisters and Luke.

The others left Jayne, Mal and River alone there shortly afterward. Of course Jayne took one look at Mal's face and River's and decided he was gonna go find his wife and pry her away from his ma for a while. After he left the pair turned to face each other, Mal angrily and River defiantly.

"What are you doing with that boy?" Mal asked her. "He damn near propositioned you right here in front of everybody! And he's way too much like Jayne! He only wants one thing from you!"

"At least someone does!" River shouted back. He was stunned momentarily by her raised voice. She didn't usually do that even when arguing with him. "I think it's about time someone else noticed I'm a woman and he's very good looking and a nice 'man' not a 'boy'! You made it clear that you don't want a relationship with me, Mal. I may not fall in love with him, in fact it's highly doubtful, but I'm not going to spend my life pining after you and getting up bitter and heartbroken and alone. I offered you everything, every part of me, and you weren't ready for it. I'm not offering any of that to Dean but a woman needs some attention now and then, Mal. I understand men do as well or have you loved every woman you've slept with?"

"This hasn't got anything to do with me, River," Mal stated tightly. "I don't want you giving away something precious to that boy just because he's showing an interest in you. And I didn't say never, River, I just need to think about it."

"I didn't say I'm going to sleep with him, Mal," River pointed out calmly. "But a little flirting is okay. Tessa said so and so did Zoe and Kaylee. They all agree that you're just being a stubborn hun dan and that there wasn't any harm in me seeing who else is out there while you're trying to make up your mind. But who knows, maybe I will fall for Dean and we'll get married and live here and I'll have lots of Cobb babies. Then you won't have to worry, or think, about me ever again."

"That sounded a lot like a threat, darlin," Mal growled closing the distance between them and glaring down at her. "Maybe if your feelings are that changeable then you don't love me as much as you say you do and I'm wasting my time thinking on it at all."

"You can marry someone and make babies with them without loving them, Mal," River pointed out. "My heart and soul belong to you. I gave them to you a long time ago and they'll be in your keeping until I die. But whether my body will be yours too is up to you. Nothing that might happen with Dean or any other could ever change how I feel about you. I'll never love another. I may feel lust or fondness or friendship for them but not love. My feelings aren't the ones in question here, Mal. Yours are."

She walked away from him then going to the house. It left Mal with that same sinking feeling he'd had in his gut since Jayne revealed his plan to fix River up with one of his brothers or nephews. No, to be honest, it'd been there a while now and seeing Dean cozying up to 'his' Albatross like that today just made it worse. She was right. He was old enough and experienced enough to know that you didn't need to love somebody to want them and this Dean seemed to be very interested in her 'that way'. Well, he wasn't gonna lose her to a Cobb, that was for gorram sure. He'd just have to make sure they weren't alone together at any point on this visit. Of course, if the little hun dan was to kiss her on the mouth or something then he would not be held responsible for his actions. He'd come close to shooting the boy today just for helping her off her horse, not to mention that hair thing and the kissing her hand like that. Nope, he wasn't gonna allow that.


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: Thank you all for the great reviews so far. I apologize for the delay./ DISCLAIMER: I own nothing. **

* * *

Jayne followed the sounds of female voices and laughter to the kitchen and smiled at the sight of his wife laughing next to his ma. They were all busy shelling peas and it looked like his sister Beth had shown up now too. He eased just inside the doorway and leaned there watching them.

"Well now, my darlin, what have you been up to?" Tessa asked him. He came over and plucked her out of her seat, took it then settled her into his lap.

"Just catching up with Noah and Craig, showing Mal about the place and watching Eli busting bronc," Jayne told her.

"Oh, is River back with Dean and the others?" she asked frowning.

"They were but he went home to get changed and cleaned up for supper with his sisters and Luke," he explained. "Now it's just Mal and River outside. He wasn't too happy about Dean's interest in her. I'd swear he nearly drew his gun on him."

"Some healthy competition will be good for the boy," Ma told them firmly. "I just hope Dean don't get too sweet on her. It pretty clear from how she looks at your captain that she's in love."

"Oh it ain't River's feelings in doubt, Ma," Kaylee chimed in. "Mal's just being a stubborn pi gu."

Tessa leaned back against Jayne's chest and turned her head to kiss his cheek. He looked at her and she smiled up at him. "I saw your baby photos earlier, darlin. You were adorable," she told him frankly. "I want a little boy just like you."

"Well, it's always possible. We ain't using anything to prevent it," Jayne assured her brushing his lips against her temple. "I'd kinda like a little girl looks like you, though."

"We can have both," Tessa declared.

"Preferably not at the same time," Jayne added. "Twins run in my family but I think on my first try as a daddy it'd be best to just have one at a time."

"Then we should have a boy first," she stated. "That way our little girl has a big brother. I adored mine. They could be a pain because they were overprotective but they were wonderful too."

"Jayne was a good big brother to all of us," Beth told her. "Dean's the same way with his siblings and cousins keeping them all in line and handling any trouble they have. Of course, like Jayne, he does make some of his own trouble now and then."

River came in then and scowled at the table after taking a seat. Kaylee ventured a smile at her. "I take it the talk didn't go well?" she asked.

"None of our talks go well lately," River muttered.

"How did you and Dean get on, honey?" Ma asked her. River brightened a bit then and smiled.

"He is a beautiful male specimen, Ma Cobb," River told her. "I like him. But he isn't Mal."

Jayne nearly rolled his eyes. He was already sick of hearing about River and Mal's problem. It had been kinda amusing at first but it was getting old now. Either Mal was gonna come around or he wasn't. Jayne didn't really give a good gorram which to tell the truth. All he cared about was his own girl. He began nibbling on Tessa's neck to distract her and it worked as she turned and pressed her lips to his for a sweet, slow kiss. They were still kissing when Mattie's voice sounded from the doorway.

"I didn't think Jayne kissed on the mouth," Mattie sounded puzzled. The couple broke their kiss and Jayne gave his youngest brother a tolerant look.

"That was a rule I had before I got married, Mattie," he explained. "None of them rules apply to Tessa."

"Oh," Mattie nodded and took a seat at the table with Simon who had been examining him upstairs. "The doc says he can help me."

"It's a mild case really but without the proper treatments the symptoms appear stronger than they should be," Simon explained to them. "I have some antibiotics and inhalers on the ship that will help him. I'll have them shipped directly to you when he needs refills. After a couple of weeks on a strict regimen of antibiotics he should improve greatly. After that it's simply a matter of using the inhaler when he feels an episode coming up."

"Well now, aside from Jayne getting married that's the best news we've had all year," Ma declared happily.

Mal walked in then and silently took a seat next to River. It was then that Tessa noticed Simon tense up and send a glare Mal's way. She also realized that they hadn't heard much about Simon's opinion on the River/Mal situation. He wasn't part of the conspiracy they had concocted to get the two together so they, well except for Kaylee maybe, had no idea how he felt about it all though he had to be aware of it.

"River," Simon asked his sister, "How did you like riding again? Were the other Cobb's nice?"

"Dean and I are taking a moonlit walk later on," River told him ignoring Mal's sharp look. "I like them all. Dean is going to pick me out a horse to break tomorrow. I'm going to learn to bust broncos. Maybelle is a sweet horse but she prefers children to adults."

"Dean is – have I met him yet?" Simon asked frowning. She shook her head. "Well, I'm not certain you should be 'busting broncos', mei mei. From what I saw earlier through Mattie's window it looks dangerous. He said Eli broke two ribs and a wrist on that horse recently."

"Dean will choose a suitable one for me that won't injure me, Simon. He says that girls are better at it than men anyway," River told her brother. "You worry too much, gei gei. I will be fine."

"Sure she will," Beth chimed in. "Dean wouldn't let her on anything dangerous."

"Mal tried to tell me I couldn't," River stated sending the brooding captain an arrogant sneer.

"I used to help break in horses at our ranch, River," Tessa told her. "You'll be great at it as agile as you are. It's mainly about balance and being more stubborn than the horse."

"I ain't sure I like the idea of you on a wild horse, darlin," Jayne told his wife. She smiled dangerously and ran a hand through his hair.

"I'll tell you what, ai ren," she said carefully, "I'll stay off the wild horses if you stay off that bull I heard you talking to your brothers about earlier."

Jayne hedged a bit and cleared his throat uncomfortably, "Now baby, that ain't exactly the same thing."

"No, it's worse," Tessa stated firmly. "You stay off that bull, Jayne Cobb or you'll be sleeping on the floor."

"Fine," he grumbled but gave in. Then he looked at Mal. "Mal, maybe you oughta give it a try then. They call him Big Evil. He's huge, a New Texas Longhorn, and gored the last two men that tried to ride him. Bull ridings gonna be part of the festivities tomorrow night at the shindig. Since River's gonna be bronc busting you might as well have some fun too."

"Dean's won the bull riding competition the past three years. He's riding Big Evil tomorrow too," Beth told them all. "His record is 14 seconds."

"I used to do the roping competitions back on Shadow. Mama never would let me on a bull, though. It might be fun to give it a try," Mal said thoughtfully. He didn't miss River's concerned frown and was pleased by it. Besides, he wasn't about to let that boy show him up in anything. Bull riding couldn't be that hard.

* * *

Later that night after dinner everyone was outside gathered around the large bonfire the Cobb brothers created. Jayne kept having to steal his wife back from his ma, siblings, nieces, nephews, and in-laws, though, and it was starting to wear on his nerves. He wasn't used to sharing her with anyone really. Finally he got her to himself wrapped up in his lap by the fire in one of his ma's quilts.

"It's about gorram time," Jayne muttered into her hair. "I had to share you with every single member of my family the past five hours."

"Aw now darlin, have I been neglecting you?" she teased turning to give him a kiss. He huffed and pouted a little then shook his head.

"Not really neglecting. I knew they'd all want to get to know you. I just didn't count on them monopolizing all your time," he explained.

"Well, I noticed that they all wanted your attention, too," Tessa pointed out. Then she ran a hand through his hair and looked into those ocean blue eyes of his. "Ai ren, you know that I'd rather be with you than anyone else. You're the most important person in the whole verse to me. I love you."

Jayne simply stared at her in surprise for a moment then cleared his throat when he realized that he had remained silent for too long and said, "Well, that's the way you should feel, baby."

Tessa frowned with confusion. She hadn't told him that just so he would say it back but that wasn't really the response she expected when she told him she loves him the first time. Any response she might have given was interrupted the next moment however when Mal and Dean came tumbling out of the woods nearby in a full-on fist fight with River hurrying behind them looking just as shocked as the rest of the people around.

_{A few minutes earlier…}_

River and Dean walked down the moonlit path by the creek aware that Mal was following them at a distance. She didn't protest when Dean reached over and took her hand entwining their fingers together. Truthfully she was enjoying his company and that of the other Cobb's as well.

"That's a pretty dress you're wearing, darlin," Dean told her with a smiling glance at her sleeveless, dark red dress that ended at her knees. "Aren't you cold, though? These autumn nights get chilly out here."

"A little," River admitted. "It gets cold on the ship in the black too however. I'm used to it."

Dean stopped and shrugged off his barn jacket, conscious of Mal within sight of them and turned River to face him tucking his jacket around her shoulders. They smiled at each other and River gave him a wink letting him know she knew Mal was there as well.

"Thank you," she told him shyly smiling up at him. Dean smiled back and pulled her closer to him resting his arms around her and rubbing his hands up and down her back. Her hands came to rest on his chest naturally and she knew from reading his thoughts what he was planning to do next. It wasn't the way she had wanted it, her first kiss, but at this point she would do anything to spur Mal into action.

Unfortunately just as Dean leaned in to press his lips to hers he was tackled to the ground by Mal who promptly decked him hard to the jaw as soon as they hit the ground. Dean being a Cobb and not a push-over came up fighting and soon the men were tangled up trying to beat the hell out of each other with River following them until they managed to stumble out of the woods and in front of the entire Cobb family and Serenity's crew at the bonfire.

_{Now}_

The report of a gunshot was what brought the fight to an end when yelling and trying to pull them apart didn't do any good. The shot however brought everybody to a standstill then they turned to see Ma standing just off the front porch holding a rifle and she looked furious.

"That's all the fisticuffs we're gonna have tonight," Ma Cobb declared striding over to Mal and Dean. Both of them had torn, dirty clothes, bruises and blood all over from the beating they gave each other. "Now then, what was all this about?"

"I was about to kiss her," Dean said gesturing to River, "When he came out of nowhere and tackled me to the ground. Then he hit me and well – I fought back."

"You stay away from her!" Mal shouted angrily at him. "You lay a hand on her one more time, boy, and I'll put a bullet to you!"

"What do you care? You're not her sweetheart," Dean asked unafraid of the older man. "She's free to kiss whoever she wants far as I can tell."

"Well, you're wrong!" Mal said getting in Dean's face again. "I love that girl and the only man gonna be kissing and touching her is me!"

"Mal?" River whispered shocked and the Captain whirled to face her looking like a deer in the headlights. But this time before Mal could backtrack or take it back she threw herself into his arms and kissed him. It was a bit clumsy, being her first kiss, but then he took over and kissed her back wrapping his arms around her tightly and she was in heaven. Nothing in the verse could ever be as good as Mal's kiss, she decided.

Mal gave it up. He had been putting off the inevitable and quite frankly he was tired of coming up with bad excuses to delay. Seeing her with that boy had snapped his temper and his self control. River was his and gorram it she felt good in his arms, just like she'd been fashioned just for him. Her mouth tasted so sweet, like those apples she liked so much, and he thought maybe he could die happy having kissed her now. Of course, there was quite a bit more he planned to do with his darlin but kissing was a shiny start. He didn't feel the hurt from his busted lip.

* * *

Tessa looked at the couple and smiled happy for them. Then she looked over at her husband and her smile faded remembering what had transpired just before Mal and Dean's fight interrupted them. She had told him that she loves him and he had responded by saying that was how she should feel but gave no hint of his own feelings. In fact, he had looked downright uncomfortable with the subject. Did he not love her? If it was just a matter of him being the kind of man that found it hard to say those words it would be one thing but what if he didn't feel the same way? The possibility that Jayne didn't love her made her stomach drop like a stone and her chest hurt. He met her gaze then and she had to turn away to keep him from seeing the tears threatening in her eyes. Ignoring his calling her name, Tessa walked away and into the house. She needed to be alone right now.

Ma Cobb witnessed her new daughter in law leaving and the look on her eldest son's face did not bode well for the reason. "Where's Tessa going? Everything all right?" she asked.

"No," Jayne shook his head, a feeling of dread in his stomach. "I think I might've messed up, Ma."

"How so?" she gave him a stern frown.

"She told me she loves me," he explained. Ma just raised a brow and he mumbled the rest of it, "I didn't say it back."

"What did you say?" Ma wanted to know.

"That it's the way she should feel, and it is," Jayne said defensively. "I just – I don't know. I froze. I never even thought about saying those words to somebody before and she took me by surprise. I didn't expect her to just come right out and say it. It's a big thing, you know? You don't just go throwing them words about."

"Jayne Cobb, you listen to me good," Ma began firmly. "That girl is the best thing to ever happen to you and you're gonna swallow your pride and fix this."

"How?" he asked hating the desperate note in his voice. "It ain't that I don't feel that way about her. It'd kill me if I lost her. I'd die for her. I want her to be happy and take care of her and have a family with her and all the things a man wants with his wife. I won't ever cheat on her either. She's all I want in the verse, Ma. But now she's thinking – I don't know what she's thinking but it ain't looking good for me and I don't know how to fix it. I can't just go in and say it back now. She'd think it was out of obligation or pity or some such."

"Just tell her the truth, Jayne, what you just told me," Ma assured him. "Be honest with her, son. That girl's crazy about you. Make sure she knows you feel the same way and it'll work itself out."

"I ain't used to all this 'talking about feelings' business," Jayne muttered as he turned and stalked inside the house to look for his wife.

When he found her in his old bedroom they were staying in, though, she was already asleep. It looked like she had cried herself to sleep and the sight of it broke his heart knowing he had hurt her like that. Jayne had promised himself never to do something like this to her and he could shoot himself for breaking that promise. Resolving to get this straight with her first thing when she woke up he undressed and slipped into bed behind her and wrapped his arm around her waist to spoon her then kissed her neck with gentle reverence. He swore to himself as he watched her sleep that he would never be the cause of her tears again. In the morning they would talk and he'd fix things.


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: SMUT WARNING! And in the next chapter coming soon we'll finally get to see Mal ride the bull. By the way, the name for the bull 'Big Evil' is in honor of Vin Diesel's Riddick character and the new Riddick movie coming out soon. / DISCLAIMER: I don't own anything. :)**

* * *

Jayne woke up the next morning and reached for Tessa only to find an empty spot in the bed. Bolting upright he hurried into a pair of pants and ran downstairs to find her. It was his ma that he found in the kitchen, though and he didn't even have to say anything to her to find out what he wanted to know. She already read the panic on his face and pointed toward the backdoor.

"She went to pick blackberries, said she needed to be alone for a while," Ma told him. "I gave her a basket and pointed her in the direction of the thicket. I take it you didn't settle things last night."

"She was asleep by the time I found her," Jayne explained putting on his boots. "I was gonna talk to her this morning but she woke up before me. I'll go right now and sort it out."

With that said he was out the door and in search of his bride. The blackberry thicket was only about three hundred yards from the house. He found her there kneeling on the ground beside her basket and already she had it nearly full so she must have been out there longer than he thought. Jayne approached her carefully half-afraid she'd bolt before he got the chance to talk to her.

"Tessa," he said softly and she jumped startled and turned to look at him but didn't say anything, just watched him warily as he closed the distance between them and took a seat on the ground beside her. He hated that he'd put that look in her eyes. She was guarded around him now and that was the last thing he wanted. With a heavy sigh he began, "Baby, we need to talk about last night.'

Tessa opened her mouth to speak but he shook his head and held up a hand, "No, let me finish. I got some things to say and you need to listen closely because I'm not used to talking about my feelings and such. None of it may come out right but this is important so I'm gonna try.'

She gave him a nod so he continued, "First of all, I wanna apologize for how I reacted. I know I screwed up, baby and I'm sorry that I hurt you and made you cry. I never wanted to do that, swore to myself I wouldn't ever, and I messed up. Secondly, you surprised the hell out of me just coming out and saying that like that. I wasn't expecting it. I've never said those words to anybody before, except maybe my ma when I was little but that's different. I think a lot of times people throw those words around too easily and don't give any thought to what they really mean. I know you did mean it, though. I ain't done a lot of good things in my life but you're the best thing to ever happen to me and I know that. I still don't know what I did to deserve you, Tessa. You make me happy and when you smile at me I feel like I could take on the whole verse and win. I wanna make you that happy. I never want you to cry yourself to sleep again because of me. I ain't perfect by any means, you know, and I admit that I can be an insensitive hun dan sometimes but last night I was wrong how I acted when you told me that. What I should have said, and what I never want you to doubt again the rest of your life, is that I love you too."

Her eyes were filled with unshed tears by the time he finished and all she could manage to choke out was, "Jayne," before she threw herself into his arms and kissed him. He kissed her back fervently and held her tight and close.

"I do, baby," he whispered passionately against her mouth. "I love you more than anything."

Tessa broke the kiss to smile at him and take his face in her hands, "I love you too, darlin, so much it hurts."

"Where's it hurt, baby?" he asked and she took one of his hands placing it over her heart. Jayne caressed the spot then bent down and placed a reverent kiss there before taking her mouth with his again and laying them both down in the grass with his body covering hers. She hurriedly helped him out of his pants while he removed her clothes and then he was sliding inside her making them both cry out with pleasure. They moved together as one, overwhelmed by emotion and passion, until they yelled together in their climax uncaring of whom or what might hear them.

* * *

Meanwhile back at the house, Mal was sneaking into River's room to wake up his little witch. He closed the door behind him and locked it then made his way over to the bed where she was sleeping soundly. She looked so beautiful that he almost didn't want to wake her. They had been pried apart the night before around two am by Simon and Ma Cobb who said they'd been kissing enough and it was time to sleep. Mal hadn't agreed but River assured him there would be many more opportunities for them tomorrow, which now was today, so he had gotten up and come straight to her if only to assure himself that last night hadn't been a dream and she really was his girl now.

He took a seat gingerly on the edge of the bed then braced his hands on either side of her before leaning down to kiss her softly. He was surprised when she kissed back. After a moment he broke the kiss and leaned back to look at her finding her eyes open and her smiling up at him.

"You big faker," he muttered making her giggle. "I thought you were asleep."

"I know you did," River grinned tapping the side of her head. "I thought it was cute."

Mal blushed a little sheepishly then grinned and came down on his elbows so he was halfway laying over her. "I was going for romantic but cute will do I suppose," he told her.

"With you, ai ren, cute is romantic," River assured him running a hand through his hair. Her chocolate brown eyes met his thundercloud blue ones and she moved her hand down to caress his cheek and run a thumb over his lips. "I love you, Mal."

"I love you too, River," Mal told her seriously. He took her hand and kissed her palm then her mouth once again. "You know, there's no going back now. It's you and me now for keeps."

"I know," she nodded firmly, a determined set to her jaw. "You're all I want in the verse. I'll make you happy."

"You already make me happy, darlin," he said with a slight disbelieving laugh. "I don't know how you couldn't possibly know that."

"Happier then," River amended while running her hands over his shoulders and along his chest learning her new territory. He seemed amused by it but his thoughts betrayed his lustful thoughts as did the darkening of his eyes. Stopping her exploration she had to stifle a giggle when he actually pouted. She explained, "Ma is coming. She knows you're in here and since we aren't married you have to go. Remember what she told Simon and Kaylee."

"Oh right," Mal nodded moving off her but not before stealing one more kiss. Sure enough Ma Cobb knocked on the door a moment later.

"Malcolm Reynolds, you get out of that girl's bedroom," Ma said sternly through the door. "You ain't her husband yet."

Mal walked to the door and opened it giving Ma a sheepish grin. "Her virtue's intact, Ma, I promise," he said holding his hands up in surrender. "I just wanted to kiss my darlin good morning."

"Well, it's time for breakfast so go get downstairs to eat," Ma told him. He nodded and walked off. She looked at River then and gave the girl a conspiratorial wink and smile. "Get dressed, honey, and join us."

"Yes, Ma," River nodded and Ma left going down to supervise her guests' breakfast.

Jayne and Tessa came back a little while after everybody sat down and Ma nearly let out a sigh of relief when she saw them holding hands and the smiles on their faces. Jayne set the basket of blackberries Tessa picked in the cold storage then sat him and his bride down to have breakfast.

"Where have you two been?" Simon asked curiously.

"Picking blackberries," Jayne told him curtly. "Tessa's gonna make a cobbler later on for the shindig."

"Oh," Simon nodded seemingly satisfied with the answer and pointedly ignoring the somewhat large love bite on Jayne's neck and the merc's shirtless state as well. He knew exactly what they'd been up to and picking berries was the least of it.

Dean Cobb walked in then and Mal stiffened beside River when he saw him but she reached over and rubbed his thigh giving him a reassuring smile until he relaxed. As for Dean, he sat down at the table on Jayne's other side like he hadn't a care in the world and smiled at them all.

"How is everybody this morning?" he asked. "I brought that little mare for River to break in. Her name's Delilah. And I hear you're gonna try and ride Big Evil tonight, Capt'n Reynolds. He's kinda dangerous for a beginner. Mama don't even want me on him and I've been bull riding since I was seven."

"I'll be fine," Mal assured the younger man tightly. "I've faced plenty of enemies tougher than a bull and I always come out fine."

"If you say so," Dean shrugged indifferently then gave River a wink just to annoy the captain further. "You know, darlin, if you ever get tired of him I'm always available."

"Thank you for the offer but I love him. There won't be another for me," River assured him politely. "When do I get to break in Delilah?"

"Anytime you want to," he told her. "You oughta eat up, though. You're gonna need the energy."

A little over an hour later with all the Cobb's and Serenity's crew in attendance, and despite Mal's pleading with her to reconsider, River Tam was mounting the wild mare Delilah in the corral.

Mal held his breath in trepidation and worry then sent Dean Cobb a warning growl, "If anything happens to her I'm gonna kill you. Just so you know."

"She'll be fine, Capt'n," Tessa assured him from Mal's other side between him and Jayne. "I used to do it all the time."

"But you ain't doing it now," Jayne clarified with just a hint of question in his tone. She nodded confirmation and wrapped her arms around one of his.

"No, darlin, not anymore. But you're not getting on any bulls either remember," she reminded him. He nodded and kissed the top of her head pulling her further into his arms in front of him between him and the corral fence.

"I remember the deal," Jayne said.

They watched as River mounted the horse carefully and as soon as her weight settled on the saddle the mare began to buck and protest. But the agile Reader witch did as Tessa and Dean told her to and held on, rocking and moving with the horse for what seemed like hours until it settled down and accepted that it was going to ridden whether it liked it or not. When River began walking and trotting the mare around the corral she couldn't help the triumphant grin that crossed her face. Her gaze settled on Mal and he looked as proud and thrilled for her as any man could be with their sweetheart. He sent her a grin and a wink then climbed up on the fence to give her a congratulatory kiss as she rode over to them and the others gathered let out cheers and wolf whistles.

"You did so good, bao bei," Mal whispered to her. "I'm proud of you, darlin. But um – could you not put me through that again? I nearly had a heart attack when that mare starting trying to buck you off."

"I have satisfied my curiosity, ai ren," River assured him. "It was exhilarating though not as much as fighting Reavers."

"That – I pray you never have to do again. I mean to make certain of it in fact," he told her seriously. Then he leaned back and gave the mare a pat on the rump. "Go get her unsaddled and seen to, darlin. I wanna have you to myself for a while before the shindig starts."

River nodded and led Delilah into the stables where Dean was waiting with a smile. She dismounted and smiled back. "Thank you for this, Dean, for everything really. I apologize for your injuries," she said sincerely. He just shrugged and gave her a grin that reminded her of Jayne's.

"I've had worse," Dean said helping her unsaddle and brush down Delilah. "You did good out there, especially for a first timer."

"I'm a fast learner," River explained quietly. He must have heard something odd in her tone because he stopped and gave her a look. Sighing she said, "Technically, I'm a genius. My parents sent me to a special school when I was young because of it but the Academy turned out to be a very bad place. The things they taught me, made of me, weren't good. I'm a Reader now because of them."

"Oh," he nodded slowly taking that in then sighed. "Well, darlin, you seem to have made it out of it okay."

"I got lucky. Simon got me out and then we found Mal and the others on Serenity," she told him. "It's only because of them that I'm okay now. I was – unwell – for a long time."

"Yeah, we all heard about the feng le girl that slashed open Uncle Jayne's chest, sweetheart. But he seems to have forgiven you so don't worry about it," Dean shrugged again. "Like you said, you weren't yourself then."

She smiled gratefully and relaxed again in his presence. He was a lot more understanding that his uncle had been. If she weren't so impossibly in love with Mal then she might have given Dean serious consideration.

* * *

After they managed to sneak away from the others Mal and River walked hand in hand through the woods by the creek talking.

"You will be careful on the bull tonight, won't you?" River asked him. He nodded and kissed her hand with a boyish smirk.

"Of course I will, darlin. Don't even worry about it," Mal assured her. Then he began leading them off the trail and up the hillside toward the rocky outcrops and small meadows that overlooked the river where it met the creek.

"Where are we going?" she asked.

"You'll see. I found it yesterday when I went off to think a while, wanted to show it to you," he explained. Shortly afterward they came upon a meadow of soft green grass and wild lavender that ended in a cliff that looked over the whole river valley below. Letting go of her hand he let her wander around and look for a few moments before she came back to him and grinned wrapping her arms around his waist.

"It's beautiful, Mal," River declared standing on tiptoe to give him a sweet kiss. "Thank you for sharing it with me."

"Well, I'm glad you like it, darlin," Mal said taking a seat on the grass and stretching out. "Because we're gonna be here a while until I rest up enough to make it back down that hill."

"You'd better be saving that energy for the bull tonight," River warned resting beside him.

"I'm just kidding, River. I ain't decrepit just yet," he sent her wink turning on his side to look at her as she did the same in order to face him. He took his free hand and ran it over her hip then the dip of her waist and up her arm then over her shoulder down to her collarbone with his eyes following the movement of his fingers. Then his eyes met hers when she gasped lightly as he hit a sensitive spot just below her throat and he saw her eyes darkened to almost black. "Gorram you're beautiful, darlin. Makes me ache all over just looking at you."

"You could always do more than look," she whispered leaning closer to him. As her lips brushed his their eyes drifted shut and he kissed her back deeply.

Soon they were making out heatedly there in the meadow. River had promptly removed his shirt and he had hers off as well. Mal cursed silently about it being one of the few times River wore pants instead of a dress and she giggled hearing his thought.

"Well, it's the truth," Mal told her frankly. She responded by kicking off her boots, socks, and wriggling out of her jeans and tossing them aside leaving her in just her bra and panties. She then surprised him further by removing those as well. The captain had never seen a more beautiful sight in his life. Looking at her he said, "You're not helping my self control at all, bao bei."

"I don't want you controlled, ai ren," River told him seriously running her hands over his chest, torso, shoulders and arms then around to his back raking her nails down lightly while kissing him deeply. "I want you, all of you, no holding back."

Mal lowered himself over her kicking his boots and socks off as he went, his hips coming to cradle into hers naturally. He knew she felt his erection by the slight gasp and widening of her eyes just before she rocked into him instinctively to ease the ache in her own core.

He kissed his way down her body, neglecting nothing. He never tasted anything as delicious as River Tam. Her whimpers and moans drove him wild, making his cock throb painfully in his trousers. Easing one hand between her thighs to work her with his fingers he fought to maintain control to be gentle and careful with her. She was brand new to this and so very tight.

River wasn't idle either. She had already gotten his trousers unbuttoned and was kissing and touching him anywhere and everywhere she could reach. When she slid her hand inside his trousers to wrap around and stroke his erection with hesitant curiosity he sucked in a sharp breath and bucked his hips into her hand involuntarily.

"Oh God, darlin, you're gonna be the death of me," Mal groaned taking her mouth with his once more.

"I want you inside me," River pleaded trying to get his pants off him. "Please, ai ren, I need -,"

He kissed her to cut her off and nodded, both of them breathing hard. "I know, bao bei. I'm gonna take care of you," he promised. He'd had her on the edge of orgasm about five minutes now with his fingers but he wanted to taste her honey before he took her fully. So he eased down between her legs and gave her his mouth making her grip his hair and scream his name. It didn't take long before he had her coming hard and shaking from the power of it. Even her core tasted like apples he decided as he placed open-mouth kisses up her body to her mouth again letting her taste herself on his lips and tongue.

"I never thought – so good," River managed to get out. She had never cared less about being articulate before in her life. Her body was humming with pleasure and then she felt his cock hard and throbbing against her slick, hot folds and whimpered.

"I gotta be inside you, darlin," Mal told her, a pleading note in his voice. He kissed her deeply and positioned himself at her entrance sliding gently inside her until he reached her maidenhead then he pushed through quickly to the hilt and she cried out breaking the kiss. He froze, letting her body adjust to the invasion and kissed her softly in apology. "I'm sorry, River. It won't hurt anymore, darlin."

She took a deep breath, let it out and forced her muscles to relax. When she gave him a nod and rubbed his chest he began to move in slow thrusts gradually picking up pace as she met and kept his rhythm.

Rivulets of sweat ran down their bodies from exertion and they were definitely going to have grass stains on them but the couple were uncaring as they moved together toward their release.

"You're so close, darlin. Come for me, River. Let me see you," Mal said easing a hand between them to work her clit. She tightened her thighs on his hips and wrapped her legs around his waist higher to take him deeper, clawing his back with her nails and throwing her head back screaming his name out as she came again.

Mal was so enthralled with her orgasmic beauty that he was completely unprepared for her climax to trigger his, her inner muscles tightening and contracting around him making him come so hard he saw spots before his eyes and shouted her name to the sky pumping his seed deep inside her, his hands gripping her hips tightly.

When they came down from their high they lay in tangled limbs, sated and content watching the clouds pass by overhead as the sun began its descent toward nightfall.

"We should get back," River said after a while.

He kissed her shoulder and nuzzled her neck nodding. "Yeah, I gotta get ready for Big Evil," Mal agreed. Then his eyes met hers in a serious look. "Any regrets?"

"No, never," she shook her head firmly. "You?"

"No, darlin," he smiled gently and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "I gave up all my reservations and fears about this yesterday. I'm yours until I die, River."

"And I'm yours," River told him threading her fingers through his hair, "For keeps."


End file.
